THE FAVORITE POISON OF AMERICA. 2'79 



insidious than these ; for, at least, one very well tnows what one is 

 about when he takes copious draughts of such things. Whatever 

 his own convictions may be, he knows that some of his fellow crea- 

 tures consider them deleterious. •' 



But the national poison is not thought dangerous. Far from it. 

 On the contrary, it is made almost synonymous with domestic com- 

 fort. Old and young, rich and poor, drink it in with avidity, and 

 without shame. The most tender and delicate women and children 

 are fondest of it, and become so accustomed to it, that they gradu- 

 ally abandon the delights of bright sunshine, and the pure air of 

 heaven, to take it in large draughts. What matter if their cheeks 

 become as pale as the ghosts of Ossian ; if their spirits forsake them; 

 and they become listless and languid ! Are they not weU housed 

 and comfortable ? Are not their lives virtuous, and their affairs 

 prbspeuousi Alas, yes ! But they are not the less guilty of poison- 

 ing themselves daily, though perhaps unconscious of it all the 

 time. 



The national poisoh that we allude to, is nothing less than the 

 vitiated air oL close stoves, and the un ventilated apartments which 

 accompany^Jhem ! 



" Stoves " — exclaim a thousand readere in the same breath — 

 " stoves poisonous ? Nonsense ! th^y are perfectly healthy, as well 

 asthe most economical, convenient, labor-saving, useful, and indis- 

 pensable things in the world. Besides, are they not real Yankee 

 inventions? In what country but this is there such an endless va- 

 I riety of stoves-^cooking stoves, hall stoves, parlor stoves, air-tight 

 stoves, cylinders, salamanders, etc. ? Why, it is absolutely the na- 

 tional invention — this stove — the most useful result of universal 

 Yankee ingenuity." ' 



We grant it all, good friends and readers ; but must also have 

 our opinion — our calmly considered and carefiilly matured opinion — 

 which is nothing more nor less than this, that stoves — as now used 

 — are the national curse ; the secret poisoners of that blessed air, 

 bestowed by kind Providence as an elixir of life, — giving us new 

 vigor and fresh energy at every inspiration ; and we, imgrateM 

 beings, as if the pure breath 'of heaven were not iit for us', we reject 

 it, and breathe instead — what ? — the air which passes over a surface 



