صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

Scarce.

but fcarce above one in a hundred comes to perfection.

propagated? 4. By these feeds the plant is propagated, nine or ten of them being put into a hole totranfplanted? gether; and the fhrubs thence arifing are atterwards tranfplanted into proper ground. They thrive beft when expofed to the fouthfun, and yield the best tea; but there is a fort that grows without any cultivation, which though less valuable, often serves the poorer fort of people.

thrive? expofed?

Chinefe. commodity ?

fragrance?

mountains.

juice.

contracts?

conclufion?

century?

judicious?

5. The Chinese know nothing of imperial tea; and several other names which in Europe ferve to diftinguish the goodnefs and price of this fashionable commodity.

6. In truth tho' there be various kinds of tea, they are now generally allowed to be the produce of the fame plant, only differing in the colour, fragrancy, &c. according to the difference of foil, the time of gathering it, and the method of preparation. Bohi or Eohea tea, is fo called, not from the mountains of Bokein, where the best of that fort is faid to grow, but from its dark and blackish colour.

7. This chiefly differs from the green tea, by its being gathered fix or feven weeks fooner, that is in March or April, according as the feafon proves, when the plant is in full bloom, and the leaves full of juice; whereas the other by being left fo much the longer upon the tree, lofes a great part of its juice, and contracts a different colour, tafte, and virtue.

8. The green tea is most valued and used in China; and the Bohea feems not to have been known there till about the conclufion of the fifteenth century; for a judicious Hol. lander, who was physician and botanist to the Emperor of Japan at that period, tells us that he had heard of the Bohi or black tea being come into vogue in China; but upon the strict

eft

eft fearch he could make, could find no fuch Falfe. thing, and therefore believed it was a false

report.

9. This makes it probable, that originally discovery. they gathered all the tea at the fame time, but that, fince the discovery of the smoothness and excellence of the more juicy Bohea, they have juicy. carried on the experiments ftill farther, by gathering it at different feafons.

10. As to the manner of curing the tea, curing? the Bohea is first dried in the shade, and after

wards exposed to the heat of the fun, or over

a flow fire, in earthern pans, till it is convolv- convolved? ed or fhrivelled up (as we fee it) into a

fmall compafs.

11. The other forts are commonly crifped crifped? and dried as foon as gathered; though according to Dr. Cunninham, the Bohea is dried in the fhade, and the green in pans over the fire.

12. It is very rare to find tea perfectly pure, the Chinese generally mixing other leaves with it to increafe the quantity; though one would think the price is too moderate to tempt them to fuch a cheat, it being ufually fold amongst them for three-pence per pound, and never for more than nine pence; fo that it is most probable the wort adulterations of it are made by our own retailers.

adultera

tions?

retailers?

13. Bohea, if good, is all of a dark colour, bohea. crifp and dry, and has a fine fmell. Green tea

is alfo to be chofen by its crifpnefs, fragrant fragrant? fmell, and light colour with a bluish caft; for

it is not good if any of the leaves appear dark or brownish.

14. As to the properties of tea, they are controverted? very much controverted by our physicians;

but the Chinese reckon it an excellent diluter physicians. and purifier of the blood, a great ftrengthen

er of the brain and ftomach, a promoter of reckon. digeftion, perfpiration, and other fecretions.

They diluter.

[ocr errors]

Accurate?

acrimony?

vifcera. imaginary

difcretion?

aftringent?

15. They drink large quantities of it in fevers, in fome forts of colics, and other accute difeafes; and think it corrects the acrimony of the humours, removes obstructions of the vifcera, and reftores decayed fight.

16. That the gout and stone are unknown in China, is ascribed to the use of this plant. Some of the virtues attributed to tea, are undoubtedly imaginary, and it has bad effects. upon fome conftitutions; but experience fhows, that feveral advantages attend the drinking it with difcretion.

17. It quickens the fenfes, prevents drowsinefs, corrects the heat of the liver, removes the head-ach, especially that proceeding from firengthens. a crapula, and being greatly aftringent, it ftrengthens the tone of the ftomach.

Comforts.

vierus.

different.

The Handfome and Deformed Leg.

conveniencies.

worfe.

tafle.

weather.

I.

T

HERE are two forts of people in

the world, who with equal degrees of health and wealth, and the other comforts of life, becomes the one happy, and the other miferable. This arises very much from the different views in which they confider things, perfons, and events; and the effect of thofe different views upon their own minds.

2. In whatever fituation men can be placed, they may find conveniencies, and inconveniencies; in whatever company, they may find perfons and converfation more or lefs pleafing; at whatever table, they may meet with meats and drinks of better and worfe tafte, dishes better and worfe dreffed; in whatever climate they will find good and bad weather; under whatever government, they may find good and bad laws, and bad administration of thofe laws; in whatever

poem,

poem, or work of genius, they may fee faults and beauties; in almost every face, and every perfon they may difcover fine features and defects, good and bad qualities.

Features.

defects?

3. Under thefe circumftances, the two forts of people above-mentioned, fix their attention, pleasant. thofe who are difpofed to be happy, on the conveniencies of things, the plealant parts of converfation, the well dreffed difhes, the good- cheerfulness. nefs of the wines, the fine weather, &c. and enjoy all with cheerfulness.

Hence contraries.

4. Thofe who are to be unhappy, think and fpeak only of the contraries. they are continually difcontented themselves, and by their remarks, four the pleasures of fociety; offend perfonally many people, and make themfelves every where difagreeable. pitied. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, fuch unhappy perfons would be the more to be pitied.

5. But as the difpofition to criticife, and to be difgufted, is perhaps, taken up originally by imitation, and is, unawares, grown into

a habit, which, tho at prefent ftrong, may criticife? nevertheless be cured, when thofe who have

it are convinced of its bad effects on their fe-
licity; I hope this little admonition may be admonition?
of fervice to them and put them on changing

a habit, which, tho in the exercife it is chief-
ly an act of imagination, yet has ferious confe- fervice.
quences in life, as it brings on real griefs and
misfortunes.

6. For as many are offended by, and no body loves this fort of people; no one fhews civility? them more than the most common civility and respect, and fcarcely that; and this frequently puts them out of humour, and draws

them into difputes and contentions. If they obtaining? aim at obtaining fome advantage in rank or fortune, no body wifhes them fuccefs, or will

Pretentions?ftir a ftep, or speak a word to favour their pretentions.

aggravate?

odious?

avoid?

cautious.

intimacy?

7. If they incur public cenfure or disgrace, no one will defend or excufe, and many join to aggravate their mifconduct, and render them completely odious: If thefe people will not change this bad habit, and condefcend to be pleafed with what is pleafing, without fretting themfelves and others about their contraries, it is good for others to avoid an acquaintance with them; which is always difagreeable, and fometimes very inconvenient, elpecially when one finds one's felf entangled in their quarrels.

8. An old philofophical friend of mine was grown from experience, very cautious in this particular, and carefully avoided any intimacy with fuch people. He had like other philofophers, a thermometer to fhew him the heat of the weather; and a barometer, to thermometer? mark when it was likely to prove good or bad; but there being no inftrument invented to discover at firft fight, this unpleafing difpofition in a perfon, he, for that purpofe, made ufe of his legs; one of which was remarkably handfome, the other, by fome accident, crooked and deformed,

barometer?

interview?

doubted.

carping?

querulous.

9. If a franger, at the firft interview, regarded his ugly leg more than his handsome one, he doubted him. If he fpake of it and took no notice of the handfome leg, that was fufficient to determine my philofopher to have no further acquaintance with him.

10. Every body has not this two legged infrument; but every one with a little attention, may obferve figns of that carping, faultfinding difpofition, and take the fame refolution of avoiding the acquantance of thofe infected with it. I therefore advise those critical, querulous, difcontented, unhappy people, that

if

« السابقةمتابعة »