102 TOBACCO IN EUROPE. 



Wood, "from showing himself a Presbyterian satirist." 

 It was the publication of his Abuses stript and whipt 

 which caused his committal to the Marshalsea prison. 

 The following is Withers song : — 



" Why should we so much despise 

 So good and wholesome an exercise 

 As, early and late, to meditate ? 



Thus think, and drink tobacco. 



" The earthen pipe, so lily white, 

 Shows that thou art a mortal wight ; 

 Even such — and gone with a small touch 

 Thus think, and drink tobacco. 



" And when the smoke ascends on high, 

 Think on the worldly vanity 

 Of worldly stuff — 'tis gone with a puff : 

 Thus think, and drink tobacco. 



" And when the pipe is foul within, 

 Think how the soul's defiled with sin — 

 To purge with fire it doth require : 

 Thus think, and drink tobacco. 



" Lastly, the ashes left behind 

 May daily shew, to move the mind, 

 That to ashes and dust return we must : 

 Thus think, and drink tobacco." 



About 1G70, we find several copies of Wither's song, 

 but the first stanza changed in all, besides other minor 

 ■variations. In Merry Drollery Complete (1070), it 

 commences, " Tobacco, that is withered quite." On 

 broadsides, bearing date the same year, and having the 

 tune at the top, the first line is, " The Indian weed 

 withered quite." In 1069 it appeared in its present 

 form, in the first volume of Pills to purge Melancholy, 



