LIVES jhortened hy TEA. 235 
learning to prove, that the greater our numbers are, the lefs 
fuch neceflity, and the more fecure will our liberty be. What 
an army has gin and tea deftroyed ! Figure to yourfelf the pro- 
grefs of this deftrudtion from the father, or mother’s drinking li- 
quid fire, to the birth and death of the child ; and how often 
the fpirits of both parents and children, have been forced to quit 
their bodies, when thefe are fet in a blaze with gin ; or the 
fprings of life lofe their powers by the enervating qualities of 
tea. But it is not only of war, we complain alfo in time of 
peace, that labor is very dear, and confequently the increafe 
of commerce is checked. In every light we confider this fub- 
je£t, we are deeply interefted to preferve the lives of our fel- 
low-fubje£ts, and confequently to remove from them fuch things 
as are hurtful. To do this, we muft ufe the gentle arts of per- 
suasion, the power of law ; and, above all, the prevalency 
of example. 
And now, madam, I beg that you, and every woman, who 
does not wear in her bread: a flint inflead of a heart, will 
make enquiry into the date of nurses and children in thefe 
great cities. I could tell you a tale which would draw tears 
from your eyes, tho’ they were not ufed to weeping. There 
are fome parishes in thefe cities, in which all the children die, 
in the hands of parilh nurfes. Out of one hundred and feventy- 
four brought into one parifh work-houfe in two years, how 
many do you think furvived ? eleven only : and thefe, to ap- 
pearance, were configned over to the inevitable mortality which 
attends the exceffive ufe of tea and gin. Among fome whole 
clafies of low people in London and westminter, the cafe is 
H h 2 not 
