] 44 TOBACCO : ITS HISTORY. 



I shall therefore not waste space and time in 

 noticing in detail the numerous puerilities of the 

 * Lancet' correspondence ; but endeavour to lay 

 before the reader such observations and opinions of 

 men better informed and less prejudiced, as may 

 enable any man to come to a right conclusion 

 on the subject. Between the use and the abuse 

 of tobacco there is at least a difference, if not a 

 gulf or ocean : — for I am free to admit that 

 there may be many who abuse tobacco — as there 

 are many who abuse all the other gifts of nature ; 

 but, for my part, I cannot but think that it 

 would be better for men of office and position to 

 shrink in obscurity than to come forward to re- 

 form the universe without fact, reason, or even pre- 

 judice, to recommend them to a patient hearing. 



Smoking, as to what may be use or abuse, is 

 entirely a matter of idiosyncracy of constitution. 

 Thus, we are told that there are cases on record 

 of persons killing themselves by smoking seven- 

 teen or eighteen pipes at a sitting. It is possible ; 

 it may be probable ; but the same result might 

 have arisen from eating of as many dishes. And 

 how comes it that I am at this moment thinking, 



