244 'Fhe Prevalency of Example in Tea-drinking . 
by the fword or famine, rather than not follow the example of 
their miftreffes. 
Nature has not rendered the enjoyment of focial pleafures 
impofiible without a cup of warm liquid to fumigate the brain, 
and moiften the glands of the throat. If there are any rare 
properties in tea to brighten the intelle&s, and enliven conver- 
fation, it ought to be confined to thofe choice spirits who foar 
above common mortals. A cup or two as a bitter, could do 
no great injury to the body natural or political : if the choice 
tea of china was drank only in fmall quantities, not hot, nor 
flrong, and confined to the higher orders of the people, it could 
do no great mischief. But it is the curse of this nation, that 
the laborer and mechanic will ape the lord ; and therefore I 
can difcover no way of abolifhing the ufe of tea, unlefs it be 
done by the irrefiftible force of example. It is an epidemical 
difeafe ; if any feeds of it remain, it will again engender an uni- 
verfal infection. 
There is a certain lane near Richmond, where beggars are 
often feen in the fummer drinking their tea. You may fee it 
drank in cinder carts ; and what is not lefs abfurd, fold out in 
cups to hay-makers. He who fhould be able to drive three 
frenchmen before him, or fhe who might be a breeder of fuch. 
a race of men, are to be feen sipping their tea! 
“ Was it the breed of fuch as thefe , 
w That quell'd the proud hysperides?” 
Were 
