No. 216.] 295 



impurities, ebbs and flows freely in its clarified state, through the 

 delicate channels that receive it, imparting strength and vigor, and 

 beauty to the human system. 



The medical profession, whatever may be the vague and baseless 

 opinions sometimes formed and expressed of the tendency of Tea to 

 induce nervous affections, must nevertheless yield to the demonstra- 

 tions of science followed out by the enlightened practice of nations. 

 The human mind expands as gradually as a cotton plant, and is al- 

 ways reluctant to abandon an old thought or to accord with a new 

 one. When Tea was first introduced into Europe, about 1660, the 

 public, who knew nothing at all about the matter, were greatly 

 alarmed for the safety of the state. 



A Frenchman raised a hue and cry against its introduction, and 

 called it the impertinent novelty of the age. In Germany, Tea deal- 

 ers were considered as immoral subjects, thieves, rogues, and hostile 

 to the peace of society. A physician in England was more charit- 

 able. He considered the pretended virtues of Tea as a deep laid 

 scheme to encourage its importation and to sack the pockets of the 

 people. From that day to this, the consumption of Tea has contin- 

 ued to increase in both Europe and America, and the longevity of 

 the people has increased with it. At any rate, in no Tea drinking 

 country has the health of the people been abridged, or the measure 

 of life shortened. 



No. IV. 



China supposed to be the only country capable of growing Tea — Examples of Tea 

 cultivation in districts out of China — Java — Brazil — Assam — District of Ka- 

 maon — North-west provinces of India. 



The mind of all nations has been fastened exclusively upon the 

 soil of China as the only land which Divine wisdom has prescribed 

 for the cultivation of the Tea plant. Until very recently, no efforts 

 whatever have been made to test the validity of this established opin- 

 ion, and to show that the Celestial Empire has no charter guarantee- 

 ing to her the monopoly of this vast and profitable field of agricul- 

 tural industry. The supremacy of intellect in this country has bowed 

 submissively to the common delusion without enquiry into its char- 

 acter, and without the slightest attempt to dissolve it. It becomes 

 therefore a matter of paramount importance to examine how far we 



