210 



against the interest of a wine-merchant so 

 to do ; for he has more difficulty in procuring 

 superior wines than he has of obtaining 

 ready sales at high prices. The best wines 

 are always the first sold, and afford the largest 

 profit, whereas inferior wines are rarely dis- 

 posed of without a loss. I conclude it is 

 generally known, that, at the present time, 

 the duty and other incidental charges on 

 foreign wines form the greater part of the 

 price, and that the worst pipe of Port or 

 Madeira pays as much duty as the best ; it 

 is therefore a most material part of the 

 business of a wine-merchant to import the 

 best wines from the countries with which 

 he trades. When the vintage proves rather 

 unfavourable, or his importations are deficient 

 in flavour, he pursues a very different course 

 to adulteration: he is obliged to procure 

 the richest wines he can obtain of the same 

 kind to mix with them. This is often done 

 at a great expense, because he has not the 

 means of disposing of inferior wines, even at 

 any price. It is not an uncommon prac- 

 tice to add Burgundy or Hermitage to im- 

 prove Port wine: this cannot be deemed 

 adulteration. 



Solomon, in his Proverbs, says, " Wisdom 

 hath mingled her wine/' 



