360 OPENING OF THE BEER TRADE PUBLICANS. 



lately tasted ale in a London public-house, in which 

 my ancient and well-travelled taste could discover no 

 trace of adulteration ; a piece of good fortune that 

 I had scarcely ever met with, but in the houses 

 served by that brewer whom I have referred to in 

 these pages. 



Laying open the beer trade by our ministers, 

 who certainly appear desirous, and are sedulous in 

 making all the reforms within their power, will, no 

 doubt, have a partial good effect ; indeed, will do 

 all which taxation and public taste will allow. A 

 riddance of the abominable and degrading licensing 

 system, against passing the act for which the late 

 Mr. Sheridan made a noble oration, is, in itself, no 

 trifling advantage obtained. Indeed the restrictions 

 generally upon publicans are an insult to the citizens 

 , of a free state, besides being perfectly ludicrous. 

 There is a pious party among us, who have not yet 

 discovered, in the wisdom of antiquity, the folly and 

 danger of " governing too much." Now, should these 

 sage politicians be ambitious of a farther advance in 

 their favourite cause, they will grant me leave to pro- 

 pose an additional restraint, to wit, that no publican 

 shall kiss his wife on Sunday, under the penalty of 

 eighteen-pence, of good and lawful money of these 

 realms, for every kiss on that day given. A police- 

 man may be stationed on guard. 



Much has been advanced on the heavy losses which 

 must fall on the property of publicans, in consequence 

 of the new beer bill ; but the complainants, in the 

 mean time, ought not to be unmindful of "the long and 

 heavy losses sustained by the public from the mono- 



