i86 
O N 
VINEYARDS. 
name of Vineyards, were plantations of Vines for the purpofe 
of making wine." 
As 
“ foon acquiring a vinous quality, fupplied them with a more grateful liquor, 
“ which ftrengthened and exhilerated their fpirits after labour. 
The Indians^ in the fame manner, difcovered fimilar virtues in the Palm- 
“ trees ; they firft made incifions in the bark, with a view’ cf drinking the 
“ cooling liquor which diflilled from them ; but foon found that, by being 
“ kept in vefTels, it acquired different and more agreeable qualities. 
“ In thefe times they certainly drank their wine recent and pure, foon after 
“ the fermentation had ceafed ; but obferving, that by acquiring a greater 
“ age, it became more generous, they, with art and induftry, endeavoured 
“ to prepare and preferve it for future ufe. This, probably, was the firft 
“ origin and progrefs of wine : It is mentioned that Noah firft planted the 
“ Vine ; and that wine was offered with bread by the Patriarch Melchife- 
“ dech^ amongft his firji fruits^ as a well-pleafingyirr/yfr^ to God. 
“ The Poets., who were infpired by it, celebrate its praife ; and not fatisfied 
“ with allowing it to be a moft ufeful human invention, afcribe it to the 
“ Gods, ,lo Ofyris, Saturn, and Bacchus, and call it their ambrofial nedlar. 
“ The greateft Philofophers, Legif.ators, and Phyficians, give it due praifes, 
“ when temperately taken j and Plato, who ftridly reftrains the ufe of it, 
“ and feverely cenfures the excefs, fays, that nothing more excellent or va- 
“ luable than vjine was ever granted by God to mankiivd.” 
Barry's Ohfervations, &c. on Wines, p. 27. 
' The debate arofe from a Memoir of the Rev. Samuel Pegge, in the firft 
volume of ths Jrchoeologia, of the Society of Antiquaries, London, on the introduc- 
tion, progrefs, ftate, and condition of the Vine in Britain. The Honourable 
Haines Barrington, in his Ohfervations on the snore ancient Statutes, p. 207, was 
pleafed to combat Mr. Pegge’s notions, and to declare, that he takes the Englifii 
Vineyards 
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