126 TOBACCO : ITS HISTORY. 



SnufF-taking used to be formerly a charac- 

 teristic " practice" of the medical profession. 

 Indeed the gold snuffbox and gold-headed cane 

 were the peculiar emblems of the fashionable 

 leech. Mutantur tempora — it's quite a different 

 thing now-a-days. Now the emblem is a smart 

 equipage, yclept a " pill-box" — with tiger beside 

 or behind, dashing past with a well-appointed 

 cob, who knows his master. From the top of 

 the omnibus how we envy the fortunate indi- 

 vidual ! But we think of the sad vicissitudes of 

 poor human nature — ^its beautiful simplicity — its 

 wonderful generosity in making so " han'some " 



a return for — 



" shelves, 

 A beggarly account of empty boxes, 

 Green earthen pots, bladders, and musty seeds, 

 Eemnants of packthread, and old cakes of roses ! " 



The use of tobacco for snuff is referred to the 

 times of Catherine de Medicis : it was recom- 



controversy to every reflective mind !" Think of a learned 

 M.D. considering our precious human organism on a par 

 with that of bugs, fleas, and even leeches ! Why, 'tis 

 monstrous ! The Philistine said unto David, " Am I a dog ?" 

 What would he have thought of Dr. Pidduck had he been 

 implicated by the latter in the idea of a bug or flea, or even 

 a leech ? Is the doctor no adept in the "theory of develop- 

 ment"? 



