70 ST NICOTINE 



mind is ever awake. From what I have heard such men say, 

 I could almost fancy they had in practice discovered a way of 

 liberating the mind from the trammels of the body, and thus 

 giving it a freer range and more undisturbed liberty of action. 

 I regret that I have never found it act so upon myself. 



These reflections of the sympathetic Professor may be 

 very grateful to the habitual smoker, who influenced by a 

 natural feeling of attachment, looks lovingly on his pipe and 

 pouch, as he would on old friends grown dearer with time ; 

 the older and more worn the closer he clings to them, till 

 by-and-by he talks to them as would primitive man to his 

 fetish. But this amiable weakness needs to be looked 

 firmly in the face, and if it cannot bear scrutiny, if the 

 indulgence be found hurtful to body or mind, it must go ; 

 thrown out of the window if need be, with a resolve not to 

 go out and look for it, to restore it to its old niche, though 

 the old pouch may contain Mr. J. M. Barrie's beloved, 

 Arcadia Mixture. 



Undoubtedly we have among us, and have had in 

 England since the days when Raleigh introduced the 

 1 Indian's herb ' into the royal palace and made it agreeable 

 to his queen and fashionable everywhere, some remarkable 

 examples of great smokers occupying the highest positions 

 in the domain of intellect. Instances crowd the memory. 

 The tall, dark figure of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury 

 presents itself, he whose Leviathan and other philosophi- 

 cal works stirred into activity the intellect of Europe, and 

 who attained the ripe age of ninety-two. Sir Isaac Newton 

 smoked, even in the presence of the lady who honoured 

 him with well-meant attentions. Seated one day quietly 

 by his side, happy in anticipation of what the future might 

 bring forth, Sir Isaac suddenly seized her hand now the 

 blissful moment had arrived ! but, instead of tenderly 



