The Prevalency of Example in Tea- dr inking. 245 
Were they the Tons of tea-sippers, who won the fields of 
cress y and agincourt, or dyed the Danube’s ftreams with 
gallic blood? What will be the end of fuch effeminate cu- 
ftoms extended to thofe perfons, who muft get their bread by 
the labors of the field ! 
Look into all the cellars in London, you will find men or 
women fipping their tea, in the morning or afternoon, and very 
often both morning and afternoon : thofe will have tea who 
have not bread. I once toftk a ramble in England for fome 
months, far into the country, attended only by a fervant : when 
I was tired of riding, I walk’d, and often ftroll’d, with as much 
decency as I could, into little huts, to fee how the people lived. 
I ftill found the fame game was playing; and misery itfelf had 
no power to banifh tea, which had frequently introduced that 
mifery. What a wild infatuation! it took its rife from exam- 
ple ; by example it is fupported ; and example only can abo- 
lifh the ufe of it.. The bufinefs depends entirely on the exam- 
ple of ladies of rank in this country. With what countenance 
can my lady’s woman, or gentlewoman’s chamber-maid, pre- 
tend to drink a liquor which her miftrefs no longer ufes ? Some 
indeed have refolution enough to confine the ufe of tea in their 
houfes, to their own table ; but their number is fo extremely 
fmall, that amidft a numerous acquaintance, I know only of 
mrs. t******, whofe name ought to be written out in letters 
of gold. Be affined, it is in your power to deftroy this ie- 
ven-headed monfter, which devours fo great a part of the beft 
fruits of this land ; and that the welfare of your country 
depends greatly on your virtue. If you do not improve thefe 
4 hints* 
