224- Bad EffeSls of Tea, and Opinions of Doctors. 
to create fantaftic defires, and bad habits, which muft render us 
lefs happy, or more miferable, than we fhould otherwife be. 
Tho’ habit and custom prevail over nature in many in- 
ftances ; yet, you may be allured, there will be a contest 
between them, and in the iffue you will become the victim. 
Green tea, when made ftrong, is an emetic, and a decodtion of 
it more eafily performs this operation ; yet I grant it is drank 
by many without fuch an effedt. The infufion alfo, when it is 
made ftrong, and (lands long to draw the groffer particles, will 
convulfe the bowels : even in the manner commonly ufed it has 
this effedt on fome conftitutions, as I have already had occafion 
to remark to you, from my own experience. You fee I confefs 
my weakness without referve, but thofe who are very fond of 
tea, if they find themfelves difordered, generally afcribe it to 
any caufe except the true one. I am aware that the effedt 
juft mentioned is imputed to the hot water ; let it be fo, and 
my argument is not weakened ; but who can pretend to fay it 
is not partly owing to particular kinds of tea ; perhaps fuch as 
partake of copperas, which there is caufe to apprehend is fome- 
times the cafe. If we judge from the effedts, there is a foun- 
dation for this opinion. Put a drop of ftrong tea, either green 
or bohea, but chiefly the former, on the blade of a knife, tho’ 
it is not corrofive in the fame manner as vitriol, yet one may 
plainly perceive there is a corrofive quality in it. But be 
plealed to obferve, I rather mention thefe two effects as heads 
of enquiry, than reft the merits of my cause upon them. 
With regard to the opinions of the learned, I am told that 
a phyfician, not many years fince, wrote a treatife in favor of 
4. BOHEA 
