314 ELLIS ARTICLES OF ADULTERATION. 



rule, nee Deus intersit nisi, invokes the assistance of 

 the Almighty, in his attempt to purify the morals of 

 wicked brewers whereas I content myself with an 

 invocation of the powers below. Riding through 

 Little Gaddesden, some forty years bygone, I in- 

 quired respecting Ellis of an aged person, and 

 others of the village, describing Ellis's profession 

 and pursuits ; but none of them had ever heard of 

 such a man; so that it would seem, neither an 

 author nor a prophet hath honour or remembrance 

 in his own country. Sic transit gloria of us scrib- 

 blers on good and bad beer. 



The attachment, according to Ellis, even in his 

 cheap days, both of brewers and the public, to im- 

 proved beer, was in existence, if not in an equal de- 

 gree with that of the present happy days of all-im- 

 proving taxation. The brewers then used, as they 

 had done long before Coculus Indicus, g. p. (grains 

 of Paradise), black malts (treacle), coarse sugar, 

 salt, coriander seed, &c. Ale, as I have lately 

 tasted it, well seasoned with salt, sweetened with 

 sugar and fined with hot seeds, may be a comfort- 

 able and exciting drink, yet not so well calculated 

 to agree with and strengthen, as gradually to debi- 

 litate the stomach. Ellis says that the Indian berry 

 has the same quality as the deadly nightshade of 

 this country ; also that one pound of coriander 

 seeds, then sold for tenpence, being boiled in the 

 wort, will prove equal in strength to one bushel of 

 malt. It is certainly one of the least hurtful arti- 

 cles, but far enough from possessing such a quantum 

 of substance. He deems the practice, then much in 

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