SUGAR THEORIES FALSE ECONOMY. 387 



made from sugar, and small beer from treacle; an 

 excellent beverage no doubt, for a wasting jockey, or 

 a rare article to give a poor labourer a ground sweat. 



I have already alluded to the theories of our che- 

 mists on the potatoe. They infer an equality of 

 power and strength in all essences: as another ex- 

 ample, an equality between the saccharum of sugar, 

 and of malt, assuring you, that in beer making, a 

 certain number of Ibs. of sugar are equal to a bushel 

 of malt. (Child fixes the quantity of sugar at Gibs.) 

 They reckon without their host. The beer of sugar 

 is an unsubstantial, as well as mawkish, sickening 

 beverage, compared with the beer of malt. The 

 admixture of sugar or treacle deteriorates the qua- 

 lity of beer, however in proportion it may be made 

 to increase the quantity. The gluten of potatoes is 

 infinitely inferior, in substantial quality, to the gluten 

 of wheat, as is fully proved in the manufacture of 

 starch and bread. According to Mr. Jacob, they are 

 not only making beer from potatoes, but a liquor 

 resembling Muscatel wine. There is no reasoning 

 upon tastes, so I am not about to arraign the taste of 

 Mr. Jacob, or to undervalue his favourable report of 

 this new German vintage, but apprehend I am too 

 old and prejudiced, to relish either potato beer, or 

 potato wine. 



There is, moreover, an old adage, that will not 

 always hold water. It has been said bad small 

 beer is better than none. I remember a poor coun- 

 try smith, in the starvation period of the late revo- 

 lutionary war, who economically brewed bad small 

 beer, and nearly disembowelled both himself and 

 s 2 



