QUALITY EFFECTS ON THE LABOURERS. 335 



vulgar phrase, which experience has rendered but too 

 appropriate of the true rot-gut quality. 



In justice to the common brewers, it must be 

 acknowledged, that, on the occasion of a fall in the 

 price of malt, they have customarily improved the 

 quality of their beer. The origin of the grievance 

 may doubtless be traced to excessive taxation, which, 

 so materially enhancing the first cost of malt, must 

 also operate considerably in prevention of that part 

 of the labouring classes, disposed to brew their own 

 beer, from so doing ; since the wages of the labourer, 

 the agricultural more especially, are seldom permitted 

 to have their spontaneous and independent rise, in 

 proportion with the advance of the first necessaries. 

 The natural, indeed unavoidable, consequence is, a 

 resort to the public house, where habits of society 

 are acquired, seldom to be afterwards eradicated ; and 

 enjoyments experienced of a very different nature and 

 consequence to those which a man finds in a sober 

 and economical home. 



In the introductory part of the subject of private 

 brewing, I feel it necessary to remark on the usual 

 mode of treating it ; and on the, in my estimation, 

 rather too sanguine expectations of its advocates, 

 who appear to entertain hopes of inducing, by their 

 arguments, almost every family, without distinction 

 or exception, to brew their own beer. My aim is, 

 to separate the declamatory and impracticable from 

 the rational and useful ; to address the soundest 

 and best of those instructions, with which long ex- 

 perience and observation have furnished me, to those 



