50 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



this ignoble mongrel kind of mixture to a 

 guest ! Let the reader deeply consider the 

 matter, and he will agree with me, that it is 

 in the highest degree sinful. It is bad, sloppy 

 tea that brings on nervousness ; this is the 

 foundation of those sickly influences fre- 

 quently felt, after drinking tea, so denoted. 



My principal admiration for Dr. Johnson 

 is founded on his affection for tea. There is 

 something so amiable about this, that it 

 makes one forget all his stern, uncompro- 

 mising whims and tempers. Yes, I can easily 

 picture the " Colossus of English literature," 

 sitting at a well -furnished tea-table, under the 

 reverent shadow of his wig; and complacently 

 watching the golden stream of tea descending 

 in a glittering curve from the tea-pot into 

 his cup. The author of Rasselas — the grave 

 and lofty-minded writer of the Idler and the 

 Rambler — the Socrates of Britain — descend- 

 ing from his intellectual height for awhile, 

 and smiling with as much naivete as a laun- 

 dress, over a cup of tea! 



The sound of approaching tea-things is al- 

 ways renovating to me ; the rattle of the 

 tray — the homely jingle of the spoons tumb- 

 ling about among the cups — the whole bustle 

 of the tea-arrangement, is truly agreeable. 

 We all remember Cowper's lines on this sub- 

 ject ; yet one circumstance escaped him — the 

 hollow, but cheering, bubbling of the water, 

 as it dashes from the " loud-hissing urn," 

 into the tea-pot, to uncurl the leaves and 

 extract their essence. 



I am an enthusiastic lover of tea ; and for 

 many substantial reasons. Some of the hap- 

 piest hours of my life have been experienced 

 at the tea-table ; and now, when left fevered 

 and fretful from hours of changeful study, my 

 heart leaps up at the well-known music of the 

 brittle ware. After the first cup of fragrant 

 Souchong, the peevishness of study dies away; 

 my heart gradually tranquillises, and I begin 

 to think that the world may boast of contain- 

 ing something good, while it can afford me 

 a cup of good tea. 



The tea-hour is moreover, a congenial 

 time for reflection. While the faint fairy 

 clouds of steam come swelling from the tea, 

 and shed an imperceptible dew upon the face, 

 a man very frequently repents of his faults 

 — provided there be no danger of his toast 

 cooling during the time. And how many a 

 one, who sat down to tea with evil passions 

 brewing in his brain, has gradually become 

 ashamed of his purpose, and tapped them 

 away with his spoon on the edge of his tea- 

 cup ! 



A principal reason for the popularity of 

 tea beverage in this country, is its compara- 

 tive cheapness. Many a one can afford to 

 give a friend a good cup of tea, when a dinner 

 would create a terrible sensation in his purse. 

 Some will object to " cheapness " applied to 



tea ; but, however dear in itself, compara- 

 tively, it certainly is cheap. A quarter of a 

 pound of tea, with the addition of a few solids, 

 will treat two or three small parties. Com- 

 pare the price of the tea with the cost of 

 spirits or wine, for the same hospitable pur- 

 pose, and there will be a wide difference. 

 In short, tea is altogether the most gentle- 

 manly (or, if you will have it so, ladylike), 

 accommodating thing in the world. It 

 offends nobody — not even those who dislike 

 it ; while it is a blessing to thousands of every 

 rank and fortune. 



A cup of tea is as convenient, too, as it is 

 refreshing ; it is an admirable addition to a 

 casual invitation, and generally secures 

 your guest ; not that he comes precisely for 

 the sake of the tea, but because the mention 

 of it stamps the matter with a little im- 

 portance. Were it not for tea, the life of a 

 bachelor would be ten times more mono- 

 tonous than it now is. He could not expect 

 his friends and acquaintances to sit in his 

 chairs for six hours together, and favor him 

 with their converse, without something eata- 

 ble and drinkable to vary the scene. Now, 

 if there were no tea to be obtained, some- 

 thing else must be substituted for it ; but, 

 probably, his income is too limited for such 

 a display of decanters as he may wish to 

 receive his friends with. What is to be done 

 in this dilemma ? Why, he must debar him- 

 self from meeting his friends ! But, thanks 

 to a cup of tea ! the poorest among us may 

 venture to invite a friend occasionally, and, 

 by means of Souchong, improve the strength 

 of his attachment without degrading the 

 character of his own hospitality. 



Speaking of inviting a friend to drink tea 

 with us — if the reader be as warm-hearted 

 as I would have him to be, his memory will 

 rouse at the mention of this, and recall the 

 image of many a face, whose benevolent fea- 

 tures have brightened round his winter fire, 

 while tea, toast, and conversation inspired 

 the hour with delight. One of my greatest 

 pleasures, is to meet with an old school-fellow 

 whom the hurly-burlies of life have separated, 

 and secure his company to drink a cup of tea 

 with me. Previous to his arrival, I take 

 care to have my apartment in neat order. 

 The writing desk is locked, all books are 

 laid aside, particular orders are given to the 

 servant respecting the management of the 

 muffins, &c, &c. The hour for tea is fixed ; 

 and then I turn myself to the fire-place, rest 

 my feet on the hobs (very ungenteel !), and 

 await with the most delightful anticipations 

 the arrival of my friend. Hark ! that was 

 his knock — I hear his well-known step on 

 the stair-case — he taps at the door — 'tis 

 he ! and now for something like happiness. 



If the weather be stormy, so much the 

 better. We are comfortably sheltered in a 



