Ebrietatis Encomium Part 13

[Footnote 3: Memoir de Thou. liv. ii. p. 63.]

[Footnote 4: Voyag. p. 27. ed. 1646.]

[Footnote 5: Voyage de Italie, t. i. let. 9.]

[Footnote 6: Chevreana, t. ii. p. 188.]

[Footnote 7: aeneid, lib. i. v. 723.] [[i.e. 723-724.]]

[Footnote 8: Ed. viii. p. 411.]

[Footnote 9: Voyag. de Rouvier, p. 89.]

[Footnote 10: De admir. Holland.]

[Footnote 11: Ed. fol. 1567, p. 29.]

CHAP. XVIII.

OF NATIONS THAT GET DRUNK WITH CERTAIN LIQUORS.

As every country does not produce wine, but, according to the poet[1],

"Hic segetes, illic veniunt faelicius uvae."

_Here_ wheat, more happily _there_ grows the grape.

Those nations, with whom there are no vines, have invented other drinks to make themselves merry. Pliny[2] tells us, That the western people got drunk with certain liquors made with fruits; and that these liquors have different names in Gaul and Spain, though they produce the same effect.

Ammia.n.u.s Marcellinus reports, That the Gauls having no wine in their country, though they are very fond of it, contrive a great many sorts of liquors, which produce the same effect as wine. _Vini avidum genus adfectans ad vini similitum dinem multiplices potus._

The Scythians had no wine, as appears by the answer of Anacharsis, the philosopher, who being asked, If they had none that played on the flute in Scythia, replied, That they had not so much as any wine there.

However, for all that, they got drunk with certain liquors which had the force and strength of wine. This also we learn from these words of Virgil:--

"Ipsi in defossis specubus, secura subalta Otia agunt terra, congestaque robora tolasque Advolvere focis ulmos, ignique dedere.

Hic noctem ludo duc.u.n.t, et pocula laeti Fermento, atque acidis imitantur vitea sorbis."[2a]

Secure, in quiet ease, they dwell in caves Deep dug in earth, and to their chimneys roll Whole oaks and elms entire, which flames devour.

Here all the night, in sport and merry glee, They pa.s.s and imitate, with acid service, By fermentation vinous made, the grape.

The Thracians intoxicate themselves by swallowing the fumes of certain herbs, which they cast into the fire.

The Babylonians, according to Herodotus, used likewise to get drunk, by swallowing the fumes of certain herbs that they burned.

Strabo reports, That the Indians made a certain drink with sugar canes, which made them merry; very probably not unlike what we now call rum.

Benso, in his History of America, says the same of the inhabitants of the island of Hispaniola, and several other provinces of America.

Pliny and Athenaeus tell us, that the Egyptians fuddled themselves with a drink made of barley; by this it seems the liquor of Sir John Barley-Corn is very ancient.

Leri[3], in his Voyage to Brazil, tells us, That the inhabitants of that country are as great drinkers as the Germans, Flemings, Lansquenets, Swiss: and all those merry gentleman who love carousing, and drink supernaculum, ought to agree, that they are even with them. Their drink is made of certain roots, which they boil and ferment, and is then called by them in their language, _cahou-in_. The author adds, "That he has seen them not only drink three days and nights successively without ceasing, but that they were so very drunk, that they could swallow no more till they had disgorged, which was in order to begin again.

"There [4]grows in the Eastern countries certain particular drugs, with which the inhabitants are wonderfully delighted, and which produce a kind of drunkenness, or agreeable folly, which continues some time. They are so much accustomed to the use of these drugs, by a long habit, that they imagine that life must be very sad and unhappy without them.

The Indians and Persians have their bangue, the Egyptians their bola, and the Turks their opium."

In relation to the Persians, Tavernier[5] has these words, viz. "They have a sort of drink to divert and make themselves merry, which they call kokemaar, made of poppy-seeds boiled. They drink it scalding hot; and there are particular houses, called kokemaar krone, where people meet, and give a great deal of pleasure and delight to those who see the ridiculous postures which this kind of liquor makes them perform. Before it operates they quarrel with one another, and give abusive language, without coming to blows; afterwards when the drug begins to have its effect, then they also begin to make peace. One compliments in a very high degree, another tells stories, but all are extremely ridiculous both in their words and actions." And after having spoken of other liquors that they make use of, he adds, "It is difficult to find in Persia a man that is not addicted to some one of these liquors, without which they think they cannot live but very unpleasantly."

I take no notice here of that admirable drink called Punch with us; nor Juniper-water, (vulgarly called Geneva, a corruption from the French word Genevre, which signifies the same thing,) nor that dram called All-fours, which have such wonderful effects on the wretched commonalty.

[Footnote 1: Virgil.] [[_Georgics_ I.54.]]

[Footnote 2: Const. et Jul. lib. 16.]

[[Footnote 2a: Virgil, _Georgics_ III.376-380.]]

[Footnote 3: P. 126, ed. 1594.]

[Footnote 4: L'Emer. des Alim. part iii. ch. 2.]

[Footnote 5: T. 1, lib. v. ch. 17.]

CHAP. XIX.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS IN FAVOUR OF DRUNKENNESS.

Drunkenness will (and ought to do so) appear excusable to people the most sober, if they would but make these two reflections following, viz.

I. _That drunkards are not generally given to lewdness._

Aristotle says, "That too much drinking makes one very improper for the acts of Venus, and gives his reasons. Athenaeus reports the same thing in that pa.s.sage, where he makes mention of the drunkenness of Alexander the Great, a vice," says he, "which, perhaps, was the cause of his little inclination for the ladies."

Montaigne[1] speaks very well on this article, "These," says he, "are two things which vigorously oppose each other; this weakens our stomach on one hand; whereas, on the other, sobriety serves to make us more quaint and delicate in the exercise of love."

Ovid[2] says much the same thing.

"Vina parant animum veneri, nisi plurima sumas, Ut stupeant multo corda sepulta mero."

Wine, not too much, inspires, and makes the mind To the soft joys of Venus strong inclin'd, Which buried in excess, unapt to love, Stupidly lies, and knows not how to move.