( 260 ) 
Flood $ and by confequence thofe Vines 
which the Patriarch made ufe of at that 
Time, might be much richer and fuller of 
Spirit than what he had before been accuf- 
tomed to. Not aware of this, he might 
eafily intoxicate himfelf by going only his 
ufual Lengths. Many other Circumftances 
might concur in producing that unexpected 
EffeCt, without fuppofing the good Man 
guilty of Excefs, or ignorant of his Liquor. 
Nor does it appear that all Kinds of Malt 
Liquor were unknown and uninvented be- 
fore the Flood. The Probability feems ra- 
ther to lie the other way. We are plainly 
informed, Gen . iv. 22, that "Tubal Cain un- 
derftood the metallurgick Part of Chymiftry . 
And why might he not equally underftand 
Ferment at ion , which is a Branch of Chy- 
miftry much more eafy and obvious than the 
other ? To the Invention of this, Men might 
be led by mere Accident. Ripe Corn, ei- 
ther laid or cut down, fwells and fprouts 
like Malt in the Couch or Cumm-heap 5 
and when it is dried and ground into Meah 
it is difficult to be made into Bread, will 
fcarce bake, or flick together, and has a 
maltifh Tafle. Water poured, and Hand- 
ing on this Meal fome time, taftes fweetifh 
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