LETTER XXVIII. 



THE PIPE AND THE SMIPP-BOX. 



Thebb exists a family of venomous plants, among which 

 are the Henbane, Datura stramonium, and Tobacco. Tobacco 

 is, perhaps, less venomous than the Datura, but it is more so 

 than the Henbane, which is a violent poison. 



Here is a tobacco-plant, which is as fine a plant as we 

 could wish to see ; it is six feet high, and from the bosom of 

 large leaves of a beautiful green, throws out bunches of pink 

 flowers, of a graceful, elegant form. 



For a length of time tobacco flourished solitary and un- 

 known in some comers of America. Savages, whom the 

 smoke of tobacco intoxicated, on great occasions gave us 

 tobacco in exchange for brandy. It was by such a friendly 

 exchange of poisons that the relations between the two worlds 

 commenced. 



The first who thought proper to introduce the powder of 

 tobacco into their noses were laughed at ; afterwards they 



