1 877 .] Notices of Books. ny 
valuable part of this little pamphlet, and is so useful that we 
quote it at length : — 
“ 1. That pure sweet wine is of low alcoholic strength. 
“ 2. That all perfectly fermented wine is dry, and of high 
alcoholic strength (varying according to circumstances, and then 
rarely exceeding 26 to 28 degrees of proof spirit), and is not 
sweet, as all the sugar from the grape has been converted into 
alcohol, and should have when young an acid, or rather sub- 
acid, taste (not acetous), from the presence of tartaric acid, which 
is the natural and healthful acid appertaining only to wine. Its 
removal, by gypsum or plaster of paris, converts the tartrate of 
potass into sulphate of potass, which is a purgative and bitter 
salt, with a depressing adlion on the heart. All sherries are 
plastered. 
“ 3. That the addition of alcohol to wine, either before or 
after fermentation, renders it unwholesome, and conduces to 
gout and similar disorders. 
“ 4. That the greater the amount of natural alcohol produced 
in wine the greater is the amount of body in it, as the other 
constituents of wine must have been produced pari passu , and 
have been existent in the grape to yield the amount of alcohol, 
whereas added spirit does not give body. 
“ 5. That the greatest amount of natural alcohol in wine is 
produced in those climates in which the grape attains the 
greatest perfection, and consequently contains the largest 
amount of sugar, combined with the other constituents of the 
fruit. 
“ 6. That as all port, sherry, Madeira, Marsala, Catalonian, 
and Roussillon contain from 36 to 42 per cent of spirit, they 
have been either checked in the fermentation by the addition of 
alcohol to retain the sweetness of the must, or, after the fer- 
mentation was completed, the wine must have been sweetened 
and spirited to bring it up to the regulation standard. Further- 
more, that added spirit causes an undue deposition of the 
tartrates and neutral salts of the wine (thereby depriving the 
wine of that life, freshness, and character which render it so 
valuable as a remedial agent), covers defeats, and enables all 
sorts of mixtures to be made up and sold as port, sherry, &c. 
“ 7. That the addition of alcohol to wine renders it of less 
pecuniary value, as spirit costs about is. 8d. per proof gallon 
without the duty, which is much less than the cost of wine : it 
therefore follows that, if it were not for the Excise and Customs 
Duty, spirit, the strength of ordinary port and sherry, could be 
sold for 2d. per bottle. 
“ 8. That all natural wines, if any improvement is to be 
effected by age, must throw down a deposit, and thereby 
become sweeter in bottle , by the elimination of their tannin , 
tartrates , &c. From red wine the deposit contains tannin, which, 
uniting with the albuminous matter contained in the wine, forms 
