LIVES Jbortened by TEA. 
229 
PART II. 
Lives Jhortened by Tea. The prevalency of ex- 
ample. The force of fajhion. Fajhion change- 
able. Herbs in lieu of tea. 
LETTER VI. 
To Mrs. D * * *. 
Madam, 
I T is not probable we fhall ever return to the fimplicity of 
the firft ages ; our plan is of a different kind : nor is the 
human body the fame as it was in the antediluvian world : it 
is not capable of lafting fo long. But as life is definable above 
all things, one would think it fhould be no hard talk to dis- 
countenance all fashions which tend to fhorten its duration. 
I fuppofe adam and eve drank pure element, with all its vivi- 
fying qualities ? And if they did really make ufe of the infu- 
fion of any delicious herbs with which the garden of eden 
abounded, I dare fay, fo bitter a weed as tea was not fele&ed 
for this purpofe ; for after all that can be faid of tea, without 
fugar it is very unpleafant to the tafte ; and with it, the tafte 
of the fugar prevails fo much over the tafte of the tea, as almoft 
to deftroy it. I fear tea will prove bitter to us in the end, in 
more fenfes than one, if we go on at the fame rate as we have 
done for fome years paft. 
Can 
