t C ) 
from time immemorial, and where it is said 
to be still cultivated with success. M. Lapince 
de Mejieres states, that he found the plant 
in the Indies, and made frequent use of its fruit; 
•which was rather larger than that which was 
produced in Arabia, at the commencement of 
the cultivation of this tree, towards the end of 
the I5th century. 
We are indebted to the Orientals for ouf 
knowledge of the use of Coffee—we are told 
that its qualities as a beverage were first dis¬ 
covered by the superior of a Monastery in Ara¬ 
bia, who, wishing to keep his Monks awake to 
perform the duties of the choir, was induced 
to make them drink of the infusion, in obser¬ 
ving the effects which it had on the goats.— 
Some people pretend, that its use took its rise 
from a Mollah, of the name of Chadeley, to di¬ 
vest himself of a drowsiness which enthralled 
him, and prevented his attending to his night 
devotions. Constantinople was the first place 
where public establishments were instituted for 
the use of this beverage—but these became the 
haunts of the idle and disengaged, politicions, 
poets, and Mollahs ; and the discussions which 
ensued at such frequent and promiscuous as¬ 
semblies, became so alarming, that in the reign 
of Amtirat the third, the Government interfer¬ 
ed to suppress them. Edicts to that effect were 
issued at several periods ; but the custom 
of drinking Coffee had become too establish¬ 
ed, to be thus eradicated. The influence of 
Religion was even resorted to, for the purpose 
of discouraging the use of this harmless and 
refreshing beverage. In the year 1423, (920 
of the Hegeria) a sermon was preached against 
