6o The Soverane Herbe 



lessly inspiring a huge cloud and blowing it slowly 

 through his nose. 



All England was learning to smoke. Raleigh had 

 brought its use into the higher ranks, and to ' drink 

 tobacco with a grace ' was an essential qualification 

 of everyone who would be considered a gentleman. 

 Sailors had similarly brought the practice home to the 

 common people, who smoked at first medicinally and 

 soon for pleasure. Tobacco came to be regarded as 

 a cargo scarcely less valuable than gold from the 

 New World. Doctors were busily engaged in dis- 

 covering its properties and its use in all diseases. 



The clay pipes, strangely carved into fantastic 

 figures, of the Indians were used by sailors. The 

 common people assembling in the inn burned their 

 tobacco in a walnut shell and sucked up the smoke 

 therefrom through a straw. Each man around the 

 table inhaled his puff and passed it solemnly to his 

 neighbour. Sea-captains and gentlemen gravely drew 

 tobacco-smoke from long silver pipes. But the potter, 

 realizing a new opening for his trade, made pipes of 

 clay after the Indian fashion. The bowls were small 

 and the stems short. They held but a small quantity 

 of tobacco ; but its use was still medicinal and the herb 

 costly — 3d. a pipeful. The inspiration of a few whiffs 

 of the crude, strong smoke and the passage of it 

 through the nostrils, thus making the practice more 

 pungent, satisfied the early smoker. 



Both men and women indulged in the wonderful 

 and fragrant whiff. From a mere novelty or whim 

 ' drinking tobacco ' passed into a firmly established 

 habit. Quietly and noiselessly tobacco crept into 



