TEA. 



llircc times, or ofttiicr, beforf tlie tea is put into the ftorea, 

 in order that all the moiflure of the leaves may be thoroughly 

 diffipated, and their curl more completely preferved. On 

 every repetition the pan is lefs heated, and the operation 

 performed more (lowly and cautioufly. The tea is then fc- 

 parated into the different kinds, and depofitod in the itore for 

 domeftic ufe or exportation. 



The Chinefe kiiow nothing of imperial lea, Jlower of tea, 

 and many other names, which in Europe ferve to diftinguiih 

 the goodnefs and the price of this fafliionable cummodity ; 

 but, befide the common tea, they dillinguifh two otiier kinds, 

 •uiz. the tioiii ind foumh, which are referved for people of tlie 

 firft quality, and thofe who ai-e lick. We have two princi- 

 pal kinds of tea in Europe ; viz. 



Tea, Green, which is the common tea of the Chinefe, 

 &c. F. le Compte calls it bing tea, and fays it is gathered 

 from the plant in April. It is held very digeitive, and a 

 little aftringent ; it gives a palifh-green tinfture to water, and 

 its leaves are much twifted. 



Tea, Bohea, which is the 'vom tea, or bou tcba of the Chi- 

 nefe. F. le Compte makes this only differ from the green 

 tea, by its being gathered a month before it, ^1%. in March, 

 while in the bud ; and hence the fmallncfs of the leaves, as 

 well as the depth of the tinfture it gives to water. Others 

 take it for the tea of fome particular province ; the foil being 

 found to make an alteration in the properties of the tea, as 

 much as the feafon of gathering it. It is aD bought at Nan- 

 kin, and thence brought into Europe, where it is now much in 

 vogue. 



As to the differences in colour and flavour peculiar to 

 thefe two kinds, and to their varieties. Dr. Lettfom thinks 

 that there is reafon to fufpeft that they are, in fome meafure, 

 adventitious, or produced by art. He has been informed by 

 intelligent perfons, who have relided fome time at Canton, that 

 the tea about that city affords very little fmell while growing. 

 The fame is obferved of the tea-plants now in England, 

 and alfo of the dried fpecimens from China. We are not, 

 however, as he obferves, to conclude from hence, that art 

 alone conveys to tea, when cured, the fmell peculiar to each 

 kind ; for our vegetable graffes, for inftance, have little or no 

 fmell till they are dried and made into hay. 



As to the opinion, that the green tea owes its verdure to 

 an efRorefcence acquired from the plates of copper on which 

 it is fuppofed to be cured or dried, he fliews that there is no 

 foundation tor thisfufpicioii. Theinfufions of the fineft im- 

 perial and bloom teas undergo no change on the affiifion 

 of a volatile alkali, which would deteft the minutefl por- 

 tion of copper contained in them, by turning the liquors 

 blue. 



The fine green colour of thefe teas, with as little reafon, hath 

 been attributed to green copperas ; as this metallic fait would, 

 on its being diffolved in water, immediately aft oa the aftrin- 

 gent matter of the leaves, and convert the infufion into ink, 

 as happens when a chalybeate water has been employed );i the 

 making of tea. 



On the whole. Dr. Lettfom thinks it not improbable, that 

 fome green dye prepared from vegetable fubftances, is em- 

 ployed in the colouring of the leaves of the gi-een teas. 

 And Neumann fufpefts, that the brown colour and the fla- 

 vour of the bohea forts are introduced by art. Both the 

 grcan and bohea teas have an agreeable fmell, and a lightly 

 bitterifh fu'"'a(lringent tafte : v/ith folution of chalybeate 

 vitriol, they flrike an inky blacknefs. They give out their 

 fmell and tafte both to watery and fpirituous menftrua ; to 

 water, the green forts communicate their own green tinc- 

 tiu-e, and ttie bohea, their brown ; but to redtified fpirit, 

 tiiey both impart a line deep green. The cxtrafts, obtained 



by gently drawing off the menftrua from the fJtercd tinfturts, 

 are very confiderably aftringent, and not a little ungrateful ; 

 but tile fpirituous niofl fo. 



Savary alfo fpeaks of a fort of red tea, or Tartar tea, 

 called Honan tcha, which tinges the water of a pale red, and 

 which is faid to be extremely digeiliye : by means of it 

 the T.irtars are faid to be .able to feed on raw Hefh. Its 

 tafte is earthy, and much the k'aft agreeable of them all : 

 but this is fcarcely luiown in England. 



Tea is to be chofen of the brilkeft fmell, and as whole an 

 poliible : and tlie gieateft care is to be taken that it have not 

 been expotcd to the air to pall and evaporate. 



The drink, tea, is made in China, and throughout the 

 greatcft part of the Eaft, after the fame manner as in Eu- 

 rope ; I'ix. by infuling the leaves in boiling water, and 

 drinking the infufion hot. Indeed, among us, it is ufual to 

 temper its bitteruefs with fugar, but the Orientals ufe it 

 without the addition of fugar or milk. 



However, the Japanefe are faid to prepare their liquor in 

 a fomewhat different way, viz. by pulverizing the leaves, 

 ilirring the powder in hot water, and drinking it as we do 

 coffee. 



From the account given by Du Halde, this method is not 

 peculiar to the Japanefe, but is alfo ufed in fome provinces 

 of China. 



The common people, who have a coarfer tea, boil it for 

 fome time in water, and make ufe of the liquor for common 

 drink. Early in the morning, the kettle, tilled with water, 

 is regularly hung over the fire for this purpole, and the tea 

 is either put into the kettle enclofed in a bag, or by means 

 of a bafket of proper frzo preffed to the bottom of the 

 veffel, that there may be no hindrance in drawing off the 

 water. 



The Bantsjaa tea only is ufed in this manner, whofe vir- 

 tues, being more fixed, would not be fo fully cxtrafted by 

 infufion. 



The Chinefe ai-e always taking tea, efpecially at meals : 

 it is the chief treat with which they regale their friends. The 

 moll moderate take it at leall thrice a day ; others ten times, 

 or more ; and yet it is computed, the confnmption of tea 

 among the Enghfti and Dutch is as great, in proportion, as 

 among the Orientals. 



With regard to the commercial hiftory of tea, we may 

 obferve that it was firft introduced into Europe by the Dutch 

 Eaft India Company, very early in the 17th century, arid 

 that a quantity of it was brought over from Holland by 

 lord Arlington and lord Offory, abotit the year i666, at 

 which time it was fold for 60/. a pound. But it appears, 

 that before this time, drinking of tea, even in public coffec- 

 houfes in this country, was not uncommon ; for m 1660, a 

 duty of 8(/. per gallon was laid on the liquor made and fold 

 in all coffee-houfes. 



Tlie prefent confnmption of it ig immenfe, both among the 

 rich and poor. Dr. Lettfom tells us, th .t he has been in- 

 formed, that at lealt three milhons of pounds are allowed 

 for the annual home confumn'iou nc.i includmg the incre- 

 dible quantity fmuggkd into he kingdom ; and that the 

 Eaft India Company have generally in their warehoufeB a 

 fupply for three yeai'S. 



In the appendix to fir George Staunton's Account of 

 Lord Macartney's Embaffy to China, we have feveral ftate- 

 meiits relating to the tea-trade with China. The average of 

 teas exported from'Cliina to Europe in foreign fhips, for nine 

 years, viz. from March 1772 to 17S0, the average- of the 

 number of fhips being tA'clve, was 13,198,201 lbs. ; in 

 Englifti ftiips, at the average of nine, 5,639,939 lbs. : the 

 total average of fhips is tweaty-one, and 6f exported tea 



18,838,140.113 



