X NOTICE TO THE EIGHTH EDITION 



yearly returns made by the Government Custom- 

 House ; but its physical, moral, and mental dete- 

 riorations, admit of no such tangible analysis. 

 These, although certain, are slow and impercep- 

 tible in their development, and it is therefore 

 impossible to ascertain the extent of the injury 

 which the poisonous weed inflicts upon the public 

 health, or the alteration it must necessarily effect 

 upon the character of its inhabitants. The con- 

 sumption of Tobacco is stated to be, in 1853, 

 29,737,561 pounds, thus showing an allowance of 

 considerably more than a pound, on an average, 

 to every man, woman, and child, in the United 

 Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The 

 prevalence of Smoking has been of late greatly 

 on the increase, .and the use of the narcotic com- 

 mences with the young from mere childhood. 

 Such a habit cannot be more lamented thaji 

 reprobated. The injury done to the constitution 

 of the young may not immediately appear, but 

 cannot fail ultimately to become a great national 

 calamity. 



JCHN LiZARS. 

 Edinburgh, 

 South Chablottis Street, 1869. 



