BRATHWAIT'S " SMOAKIXG AGE." 89 



measures, are behind, on shelves ; the counter is covered 

 with a " faire linen cloth," upon which pipes are laid ; 

 upon it stands a carved figure of a negro smoking, 

 showing the antiquity of using such a figure as a sign 

 for a tobacconist's shop. A curtain drawn aside dis- 

 closes the private room, where three smokers are 

 indulging at a table formed of a board laid upon 

 tobacco barrels. In the original, they are named 

 Captain Whiffe, Captain Pipe, and Captain Snuffe. 

 From the mouth of the first a label issues, with the 

 words " Qui color albus erat;" from that of the second, 

 " Quantum mutatis ab illo ;" and from the third, " t An- 

 glus in iEthiopium." From each pipe other labels 

 proceed, with these words on them " Itum est in 

 viscera terra," " Fistula dulce canit," and " Mea messis 

 in herba est." The book, the title-page tells us, is 

 divided into three lectures : — 1. The Birth of Tobacco ; 

 2. Pluto's blessing to Tobacco; and 3. Time's com- 

 plaint against Tobacco. The epigram " Upon To- 

 bacco " in the title-page, shows the unfavourable view 

 its author took of his theme : 



" This some affirme, yet yeeld I not to that, 

 'Twill make a fat man leane, a leane man fat ; 

 But this I'm sure (hows' ere it be thy meane) 

 That many whiffes will make a fat man leane." 



The author in his Introduction, " to whomsoever, 

 whensoever, or wheresoever," affirms that he was en- 

 treated by a friend " that I would address my pen to 

 treat of that subject; being, as he verie truly affirmed, 

 a principal help to discourse, especially to our young 



