746 C O F 
tained, Befides, by mixing different forts of coffee toge¬ 
ther, that require different degrees of heat and roafting, 
coffee has feldom all the advantages it is capable of re¬ 
ceiving to make it delicate, grateful, and plealant. This 
indeed can be effefted ho way fo well as by people who 
have it roafted in their own houfes, to their own tafte, 
and frefh as they want it for ufe. The ciofer it is confined 
at the time of roalting, and till ufed, the better will its 
volatile pungency, flavour, and virtues, be preferved. 
The mode of preparing this beverage for common ufe 
differs in different countries, principally as to the addi¬ 
tions made to it. But, though that is generally under- 
ftood, and that tafte, conftitution, the quality of the cof¬ 
fee, and the quantity intended to be drunk, rn'iifl be 
confulted, in regard to the proportion of coffee to the 
water in making it; yet there is one material point, the 
importance of which is not well underftood, and which 
admits of no deviation. „The prefervation of the virtues 
of coffee, particularly when it is of a fine quality, and 
exempt from ranknefs, as has been faid, depends on care¬ 
fully confining it after it has been roafted ; and not pow¬ 
dering it until the time of ufing it, that the volatile and 
asthereai principles, generated by the fire, may not efcape. 
But all this will fignify nothing, and the belt materials 
will be ufelefs, unlefs the following important admoni¬ 
tion is ftri&ly attended to: which is, that after the liquor 
is made, it fbould be bright and clear, and entirely exempt 
from the lead cloudinefs or foul appearance, from a fufpen- 
fion of any of the particles of the fubftance of the coffee. 
There is fcarcely any vegetable infufion or deco&ion 
whofe effefils differ from its grofs origin more than that 
of which we are f’peaking. Coffee taken in fubftance 
caufes oppreftion at the ftomach, heat, naufea, and indi- 
gellion ; consequently a continued ufe of a preparation of 
it, in which any quantity of its fubftance is contained, 
befides being difgufting to the palate, muff tend to pro¬ 
duce the lame indifpofitions. The refiduum of the roafted 
berry, after its virtues are extracted from it, is little more 
than an earthy calx, and mud therefore be injurious. 
The want of attention to this circumftance has been the 
caufe of many of the complaints againft coffee, and of 
the averfion which fome people have to it; and it is from 
this cor.fideration that coffee fhould not be prepared with 
milk inftead of water, nor fhould the milk be added to 
it on the fire, as is fometimes the cafe, for economical 
dietetic purpofes, where only a fmall quantity of coffee 
is ufed, as the tenacity of the milk impedes the precipita¬ 
tion of the grounds, which is neceflary for the purity of 
the liquor, and therefore neither the milk nor the fugar 
fhould be added until after it is made with water in the 
ufual way, and the clarification of it is completed. The 
milk Ihould be hot when added to the liquor of the 
coffee, which fhould alfo be hot, or both fhould be 
heated together, in this mode of ufing coffee as an article 
of litftenance. 
If a knowledge of the principles of coffee, founded on 
examination and various experiments, added to obferva- 
tions made on the extenfive and indifcriminate ufe of it, 
cannot authorife us to attribute to it any particular qua¬ 
lity unfriendly to the human frame ; if the unerring tell 
of experience has confirmed its utility, in many coun¬ 
tries, not exclufively productive of thofe inconveniences, 
habits, and difeales, for which its peculiar properties feem 
moft applicable j let thofe properties be duly confidered, 
and let us refledl on the (late of our atmofphere, the food 
and modes of life of the inhabitants, and the chronical 
infirmities which derive their origin from thefe fources, 
and it will be evident what falutary eftedts might be ex¬ 
pected from the general dietetic ufe of coffee in Great 
Britain. Coffee drunk warm within an hour after dinner, 
is of lingular ufe to thofe who have head-achs from a 
weaknefs in the ftomach, contracted by attention, or from 
inebriation. It is uftful when digeftion is weak. The 
phlegmatic and corpulent are much benefited by its uie. 
C O F 
In fome delicate habits it produces nervous fvmptoms. 
It is Iligbtly aftriagent, and antifeptie, moderates alimen¬ 
tary fermentation, and is. powerfully fedative. 
The duties on coffee, like thofe of tea, chocolate, &c. 
form a branch of the public revenue, under the head of 
cufloms and excife ; and, like all other fubjetls of thofe ju- 
rifdidlions, are liable to a variety of penal reg.ulation-s 
by adis of parliament, neceflary to prevent the numerous 
frauds and evafions daily endeavoured to be pradtiled, to 
the impoverifhment of government, and the injury of 
the fair trader. 
COF'FEE-KOUSE,/ A houfe of entertainment where 
coffee is fold, and the guefts are lupplied with newfpapers; 
At ten from coffee-houfe or play 
Returning, finilhes the day. Prior. 
COF'FEE-MAN, f. One that keeps a coffee-houfe.— 
Coniider your enemies the Lacedemonians ; did ever you 
hear that they preferred a coffee-man to Agefilaus ? Addif. 
COF'FEE-POT,/. The covered pot in which coffee is 
boiled, or ferved up. 
COF'FER ,/. [ccppe, Sax.] A cheft generally for keep¬ 
ing money.—If you deftroy your governor that is weal¬ 
thy, you mull chufe another, who will fill his coffers out 
of what is left. L' Efrange. 
Two iron coffers hung on either fide, 
With precious metal full as they could hold. Spenfer. 
Treafure.—He would difcharge it without any burthen to 
the queen’s coffers, for honour fake. Bacon. 
To COF'FER, =v. a To treafure up in chefts.—Trea¬ 
fure, as a war might draw forth, fo a peace fucceeding 
might coffer up. Bacon. 
COF'FER, f. in architedlure, a fquare depreffure or 
finking, in each interval between the modillions of the 
Corinthian cornice; ufually filled up with a role; fome¬ 
times with a pomegranate, or other enrichment. 
COF'FER,/in fortification, denotes a hollow lodgment, 
athwart a dry moat, fix or feven feet deep, and fixteen or 
eighteen broad. The upper part of it is made of pieces 
of timber, raifed two feet above the level of the moat; 
the elevation having hurdles laden with earth for its co¬ 
vering, and ferving as a parapet with embrazures. The 
coffer is nearly the fame with the caponiere, excepting 
that this laft is fometimes made beyond the counterfoarp 
on the glacis, and the coffer always in the moat, taking 
up its whole breadth, which the caponiere does not. It 
differs from the traverfe and gallery, in that thefe are 
made by the befiegers, and the coffer by the belieged. 
The belieged commonly make ufe of coffers to repulfe 
the befiegers, when they endeavour to pals the ditch. 
And, on the other hand, the befiegers, to lave themfelves 
from the fire of thefe coffers, throw up the earth on that 
fide towards the coffer. 
COF'FER-DAMS, or Batardeaux, in bridge-build¬ 
ing, are inclofures formed for laying the foundation 
of piers, and for other works in water, to exclude the 
furrounding water, and fo prevent it from interrupting 
the workmen. Thefe inclofures are fometimes fingle, and 
fometimes double, with clay rammed between them; 
fometimes they are made with piles driven clofe by one 
another, and fometimes the piles are notched or dove¬ 
tailed into one another ; but the moft ufual method is to 
drive piles with grooves in them, at the diftance of five 
or fix feet from each other, and then boards are let down 
between them, after which the water is pumped out. 
COF'FERER of the King’s Household, is a prin¬ 
cipal officer of the king’s houfe, next under the controller, 
who, in the counting-houfe, and elfevvhere, hath a lpecial 
charge and overfight of other officers of the houfehold, to 
all which he pays their wages : this officer paffes his ac¬ 
counts in the exchequer. 39F,liz. c. 7. 
COF'FIN,/. [cojin, Fr.] The box or cheft in which 
dead bodies are put into the ground. It is ufed both of 
wood 
