of my native country, I could wish there might be a fuspenfion of Phyfic for fome years, that our kingdom, which has been fo much exhaufted by the wars, might have leave to recruit itself.

As for myself, the only Phyfic which has brought me fafe to almoft the age of man, and which I prefcribe to all my friends, is Abftinence. This is certainly the best Phyfic for prevention, and very often the moft effectual against a prefent diftemper. In fhort, my Recipe is, Take Nothing."

Were the body politic to be phyficked like particular perfons, I fhould venture to prefcribe to it after the fame manner. I remember, when our whole island was fhaken with an earthquake fome years ago, there was an impudent Mountebank who fold pills, which, as he told the country people, were very good against an earthquake. It may, perhaps, be thought as abfurd to prefcribe a diet for the allaying popular commotions, and national ferments. But I am verily perfuaded, that if in fuch a cafe a whole people were to enter into a courfe of abftinence, and eat nothing but water-gruel for a fortnight, it would abate the rage and animofity of parties, and not a little contribute to the cure of a diftracted nation. Such a Faft would have a natural tendency to the procuring of thofe ends, for which a Faft is ufually proclaimed. If any man has a mind to enter on fuch a voluntary abftinence, it might not be improper to give him the caution of Pythagoras in particular.

Abftine à Fabis.

"Abftain from Beans:"

That is, fay the interpreters, Meddle not with elections; Beans having been made ufe of by the voters among the Athenians in the choice of Magiftrates.

Tuesday,

N° 241. Tuesday, October 24, 1710.

A

From my own Apartment, October 23.

Method of spending one's time agreeably is a thing fo little ftudied, that the common amufement of our young Gentlemen, efpecially of fuch as are at a distance from thofe of the firft Breeding, is Drinking. This way of entertainment has cuftom on its fide; but as much as it has prevailed, I believe there have been very few companies, that have been guilty of excefs this way, where there have not happened more accidents which make again ft, than for the continuance of it. It is very common that events arife from a debauch which are fatal, and always fuch as are disagreeable. With all a man's reason and good fenfe about him, his tongue is apt to utter things, out of mere gaiety of heart, which may difpleafe his best friends. Who then would trust himfelf to the power of wine, without faying more against it, than that it raises the imagination, and depreffes the judgment? Were there only this fingle confideration, that we are lefs mafters of ourfelves, when we drink in the leaft proportion above the exigencies of thirft; I fay, were this all that could be objected, it were fufficient to make us abhor this vice. But we may go on to fay, that as he who drinks but a little is not mafter of himself, fo he who drinks much is a flave to himself. As for my part, I ever efteemed a Drunkard of all vicious perfons the most vicious: For if our actions are to be weighed and confidered according to the intention of them, what can we think of him, who puts himself into a circumftance wherein he can have no intention at all, but incapacitates himself for the duties and offices of life, by a fufpenfion of all his faculties? If a man confiders, that he cannot under the oppreffion of Drink be a Friend, a Gentleman, a Mafter, or a Subject;

K 3

Subject; that he has fo long banished himself from all that is dear, and given up all that is facred to him, he would even then think of a Debauch with horror: But when he looks ftill further, and acknowledges, that he is not only expelled out of all the relations of life, but alfo liable to offend against them all, what words can exprefs the terror and deteftation he would have of fuch a condition? And yet he owns all this of himself, who fays he was drunk last night.

As I have all along perfifted in it, that all the vicious. in general are in a state of death; fo I think I may add to the non-existence of Drunkards, that they died by their own hands. He is certainly as guilty of fuicide who perishes by a flow, as he that is difpatched by an immediate poifon. In my laft Lucubration I propofed the general ufe of Water gruel, and hinted that it might not be amifs at this very feafon: But as there are fome, whofe cafes, in regard to their families, will not admit of delay; I have ufed my intereft in feveral Wards of the city, that the wholfome restorative, above-mentioned, may be given in tavern-kitchens to all the mornings. draught-men, within the walls, when they call for wine before noon. For a further reftraint and mark upon fuch perfons, I have given orders, that in all the offices where policies are drawn upon lives, it fhall be added to the article which prohibits that the Nominee fhould cross the fea, the words, "Provided, alfo, that "the above-mentioned A. B. fhall not drink before "dinner during the term mentioned in this, indenture."

I am not without hopes that by this method I fhall; bring fome unfizeable friends of mine into thape and breadth, as well as others who are languid and confumptive, into health and vigour. Moft of the felf murderers, whom I just hinted at, are fuch as preserve a certain regularity in taking their poifon, and make it mix pretty well with their food: But the most confpicuous of thofe who destroy themselves are fuch as in their youth fall into this fort of debauchery; and contract a certain uneafinefs of fpirit, which is not to be diverted but by tippling as often as they can fall into company in the day, and conclude with downright Drunkennefs at night.. Thefe Gentlemen never know the fatisfactions of youth;.

but

but skip the years of manhood, and are decrepit foon after they are of age. I was godfather to one of thefe old fellows. He is now three and thirty, which is the grand climacteric of a young Drunkard. I went to vifit the crazy wretch this morning, with no other purpose but to rally him under the pain and uneafinefs of being. fober.

But as our faults are double when they affect others befides ourselves, fo this vice is ftill more odious in a married than a fingle man. He that is the husband of a woman of honour, and comes home over-loaded with wine, is ftill more contemptible in proportion to the regard we have to the unhappy confort of his beftiality.. The imagination cannot hape to itfelf any thing more monftrous and unnatural than the familiarities between Drunkenness and Chaflity. The wretched Afræa, who is the perfection of beauty and innocence, has long been thus condemned for life. The romantic tales of virgins devoted to the jaws of monfters, have nothing in them fo terrible as the gift of Aftrea to that Bac chanal.

The reflection of fuch a match as fpotlefs innocence: with abandoned lewdnefs, is what puts this Vice in the: worft figure it can bear, with regard to others; but when it is looked upon with refpect only to the Drunkard him-felf, it has deformities enough to make it difagreeable, which may be fummed up in a word, by allowing, that he, who refigns his reafon, is actually guilty of all that: he is liable to from the want of reafon.

P. S. Among many other enormities, there are two in the following Letters which I think fhould be fuddenly amended; but fince they are fins of omiffion only,. I fhall not make remarks upon them, until I find the: Delinquents perfift in their errors; and the inferting the: Letters themselves fhall be all their prefent admonition.

Mr. BICKER STAFF,

SE

October 16..

EVERAL that frequent Divine-service at Saint: Paul's, as well as myfelf, having with great fa"tisfaction obferved the good effect, which your ani"madverfion had on an excefs in performance there; it:

"is requested, that you will take notice of a contrary "fault, which is the unconcerned filence, and the mo"tionless postures, of others who come thither. If this

cuftom prevails, the congregation will resemble an "audience at a play-houfe, or rather a filent meeting "of Quakers. Your cenfuring fuch Church mutes, in "the manner you think fit, may make thefe diffenters join with us, out of fear left you should further ani"madvert upon their non-conformity. According as "this fucceeds, you fhall hear from,

Sir,

your most humble fervant,

Mr. BICKER STAFF,

B. B.

I Was the other day in company with a Gentleman, ར་ who, in reciting his own qualifications, conclud"ed every period with these words, The beft of any

man in England. Thus for example: He kept the "best house of any man in England; he understood this, "and that, and the other, the best of any man in Eng"land. How harfh and ungrateful foever this expreffion

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might found to one of my nation, yet the Gentleman was one whom it no ways became me to interrupt; "but perhaps a new term put into his By-words, (as they call à fentence a man particularly affects) may cure him. I therefore took a refolution to apply to you, who, I dare fay, can eafily perfuade this Gen"tleman, whom I cannot believe an enemy to the Union, to mend his phrafe, and be hereafter the "wifeft of any man in Great-Britain. I am,

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Sir,

your most humble fervant,

Scoto-Britannus.