308 ADULTERATION. 



that, it nevertheless has long had, and still enjoys, the 

 public preference. A palpable instance of this I 

 personally witnessed, more than half a century since. 

 The brewer of genuine ale, whom I have already 

 cited, had a publican in his vicinity, a man of pro- 

 perty, who had a constant great draught for ale. 

 The brewer, in course, solicited his neighbour's 

 custom, and the favour was promptly granted, on 

 condition that the commodity should suit the taste 

 of his customers. A trial cask of ale was forthwith 

 sent, and a supper for a few friends ordered at the 

 house by the brewer. The result in the end was, 

 that not one of the publican's customers would 

 drink the pure ale, and thence he kindly agreed to 

 use it in his own family. I tasted, but did not 

 swallow, the favourite ale, and a more damnable 

 composition never entered my lips. Salt and sweet, 

 bitter and bite, or stimulus to intoxication, seemed 

 to contend for the mastery in this potent drug- 

 broth ! On the whole, it was a rare infusion of lol- 

 lipop for grown children. As a modern instance 

 several years past, I observed in a daily paper, the 

 oath of a brewer before the Lord Mayor, to the 

 genuineness of his ale. In consequence I immedi- 

 ately ordered a cask, and could discover in the beer 

 no symptom of adulteration. I have heard nothing 

 of this brewer since, and do not apprehend that his 

 plan has succeeded with the public. 



A singular action at law has lately been brought 

 by a Burton ale brewer, against the publishers of the 

 Library (Economical Pamphlets, for a statement in 

 one of them on the Brewery, of the adulteration prac- 



