OPENING THE BEER TRADE PUBLICANS. 311 



aversion to genuine beer, of which they probably, in 

 the great majority, have not been drinkers during 

 the hundred years last past. 



Laying open the beer trade by our ministers, 

 who certainly appear desirous, and are sedulous in 

 making all the reforms within their power, will, no 

 doubt, have a partial good effect ; indeed, will do 

 all which taxation and public taste will allow. A 

 riddance of the abominable and degrading licensing 

 system, against passing the act for which, the late 

 Mr. Sheridan made a noble oration, is, in itself, no 

 trifling advantage obtained. Indeed the restrictions, 

 generally, upon publicans, are an insult to the citi- 

 zens of a free state, beside being perfectly ludicrous. 

 There is a pious party among us, who have not yet 

 discovered, in the wisdom of antiquity, the folly and 

 danger of " governing too much." Now, should 

 these sage politicians be ambitious of a further ad- 

 vance in their favourite cause, they will grant me 

 leave to propose an additional restraint, to wit, that 

 no publican shall kiss his wife on Sunday, under the 

 penalty of eighteen-pence, of good and lawful money 

 of these realms, for every kiss on that day given. 

 A policeman may be stationed on guard. 



Much has been advanced on the heavy losses 

 which must fall on the property of .publicans, in 

 consequence of the new beer bill ; but the complain- 

 ants, in the mean time, ought not to be unmindful of 

 the long and heavy losses sustained by the public 

 from the monopoly : all monopolists, indeed, not 

 forgetting the high and mighty company of the 

 East, ought to be aware that the days or years of 



