Tobacco and Genius 239 



frequent use. Locke implied that tobacco is as great 

 a necessity as bread : ' Bread or tobacco may be 

 neglected, but reason at first recommends them, trial 

 and custom make them pleasant.' 



It was in smoking contemplation that Sir Isaac 

 Newton comprehended the law of gravitation, and 

 over countless pipes elaborated his great discovery. 

 He earned for himself the title of the 'Smoking 

 Philosopher,' and to tobacco Science owes his whole- 

 hearted, life-long devotion to her, untouched by love 

 for woman. Once Newton did go a-wooing. Know- 

 ing his fondness of tobacco, the lady filled and handed 

 him a pipe before seating herself to listen to the pro- 

 posal she had good reason to believe was coming. 

 Sir Isaac, with a few practised whiffs, got his pipe in 

 working trim. Still he did not speak ; lacking words, 

 he smoked quietly on. The silence grew embarrass- 

 ing. His pipe-bowl was tipped with ashes ere Sir 

 Isaac drew his chair nearer to the lady. She quivered 

 with suppressed agitation, for the philosopher was 

 manifestly uneasy, and drew his pipe with anxious 

 hesitancy. ' Oh, the timidity of man !' thought the 

 lady. At length, puffing furiously to conceal his 

 agitation, Sir Isaac took the lady's hand in his. Her 

 heart beat with triple force as he raised her listless 

 hand towards his lips. With downcast eyes and 

 blushing cheeks the damsel had felt already through 

 her heart the vibration of his kiss, but — that could 

 not be a kiss ! It was too warm, too soft a 

 touch. Glancing up, she recognised the bitter truth, 

 snatched her hand from the philosopher's grasp, and 

 rushed out of the room. Her wooer had not raised 



