TOBACCO. 183 



" My good friend," you -will here say, " you are a strange 

 preacher ! I would almost venture to bet, that you have 

 smoked to-day in that long cherry pipe ornamented with 

 such a large amber mouth-piece, and which is hung so osten- 

 tatiously on the wall of yonr study." 



I must confess I smoke, my friend. I acquired the habit 

 among fishermen and sailors, and practised it for another 

 reason. I formerly frequently fell in with people who wearied 

 and annoyed me. I was willing to be with them while they 

 were talking, but I had a great objection to talking too ; 

 I had absolutely nothing to say to them ; I found it polite 

 and convenient to make them smoke and smoke myself; — 

 they spoke less, and I did not speak at aU. Now, although 

 I do smoke sometimes, I am likewise sometimes whole months 

 without taking down my pipe : I never smoke in my garden ; 

 I am not wiUing to mingle the odour of tobacco with the 

 perfume of my flowers. 



What charming travellers are all these flowers assembled 

 together from all parts of the world ! Tobacco comes from 

 America; the Queen Marguerite comes from China; the helio- 

 trope, from Peru; the day lily, from Portugal; the ro'se- 

 laurel, from Greece ; the azaleas are originally from India ; 

 the tulip is from Asia. 



I could write a capital history of the voyages I have failed 

 to make. I was very nearly going to Greece, to see the wild 

 uncultivated rose-laurels blow, with their roots in the waters 

 of the Eurotas. I learnt that quite as good were to be seen 

 in the south of France, so I did not go. 



There are things which we do all at once, or else never do 

 at all. The excess of the thing gives you an excess of reso- 

 lution; and in making the tour of the world, to have de- 

 scended your own staircase is to have performed a quarter of 

 the undertaking. 



A=«. 



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