Chap. VII. Of the principal Greek and Afiatic wines. In Chap. VIII. our learned author enters on the luxurious and convivial customs of the ancients, refpecting the manner of drinking their wines; giving an account of the structure and ufe of the Thermopolium (an engraving of which is given in the frontif piece) with the previous preparations of the wines of the anci ents, by diluting them with hot water, and cooling them in fnow. "It was a general cuftom, fays our author, to dilute all their wines with water, and on that account Hippocrates, and afterwards the fucceeding Greek phyficians, diftinguished them by a general di vifion into two claffes; fuch as would bear a small, or required a greater proportion of water to be mixed with them. The former, which were weak, required but a fmall quantity, but thofe of the ftrong kind required, in proportion to their ftrength, a larger quan tity of water to make them more grateful and falutary; and to fome of their most celebrated wines when old, this dilution was more necessary, to give them a proper degree of fluidity. Though this was a general rule, yet in their unguarded hours of mirth, and on particular occafions, they often drank their ftrong wines without obferving any stated rules of mixture or ftrength." In common, however, we are told, that "The ancients were not more curious and judicious in the choice of their wines, than of the water with which they were diluted, in proportion to their different ftrength, and prepared in a particular manner before they were brought to their tables. The previous preparations of thefe wines greatly altered or improved the natural qualities of them. From the want of a fufficient knowledge and attention to these circumftances, feveral paffages in the hiftorians and poets relating to them have been mistaken by the commentators, and fome moderns have cavilled about a very material article, whether they ufually drank their liquors cold or warm? * "However, the manner of drinking thefe wines, as Galen exprefsly obferves, was various, according to the habit or caprice of individuals; fome drinking them cold, others hot or id, plain or mixed with a greater or lefs quantity of water; yet there are not to be confidered as the more established rules which prevail in all coun tries, and which chiefly determine the nature and qualities of their wines, and the manner of drinking them. But no part of history is more evident, than that the Orientals, the Greeks, and Romans, ufually drank their liquors cold, and that they were taken warm only occafionally, and chiefly by valetudinarians, to whom they were often directed by phyficians as a neceffary part of their regimen. † Seneca tells his infirm friend, when he invites him to fupper, that he shall be entertained by him as a valetudinarian, and drink his wine Meth. Med. Lib. vii. cap. 6. et Comment. in iii. Epidem. Hi meraciorem, illi fumunt dilutiorem, nonnulli temperatum: Sunt qui frigidam, alii calidam, atque utramque aut de more, aut infueti biberant. Canabis tanquam æger, fed omnia ifta perferemus, forbitones et calidam, quod intollerabile delicatis et luxu fluentibus. Ep. 73. L 1 2 diluted diluted and warmed; a restraint which, in their ftate, they muft fabmit to; but which, to the delicate and luxurious, would be intolerable. Martial particularly complains of this disagreeable restraint, and ardently wishes to return to his cooling draughts. But the best phyficians condemned this habit, when too long continued. Hippocrates enumerates the various bad effects of the continued abuse of warm diluting liquors, from a gradual increafing relaxation of the veffels, and particularly of the nervous fyftem, to a total imbecillity of mind and body. Athenæus fays, the Rhodians were remarkable for their pale effeminate complexion, which they acquired from the exceffive ufe of warm water. § Juvenal cenfures them on the fame account, and || Martial humouroufly ridicules Sabellus. Auguftus, who had enervated his conftitution by this regimen, was cured by Antonius Mufa, who particularly directed him to drink his wine cold, and to ufe cold bathing. Pliny likewife mentions, that Claudius was cured of an obftinate diforder arifing from the fame caufe, by his phyfician, who advised him to drink his wine cold, and gives that as a motive for his fon being afterwards made quæftor. "Several who have been induced to think that the ancients usually drank their wine and water warm, have fallen into this error, from not making a diftinction between the different manner in which the valetudinarians and healthy ufually drank their wines; and from a fuperficial attention to fome remarkable paffages, which, though produced by them to fupport their opinion, when rightly confidered, are the strongest evidences against it. It was a common and a prudent custom among the ancients, to boil the water before it was afterwards ufed cold. The Greek phyficians particularly condema crude water as flatulent, and apt to opprefs the ftomach; for all water being in fome degree impregnated by the foil through which it paffes, or in which it has long ftagnated, becomes by boiling more pure; the active impure parts exhale; and the more heavy, when it cools, fubfide,; the infects with which it often abounds are deftroyed, and it is rendered more light and falutary. But another important ufe was made of this previously boiled water, which not only clearly explains the fenfe of thefe paffages, but points out the manner in wh they drank their wines, and the peculiar nature and qualities of them. They did not think it fufficient to dilute their wines with the pureft cold water, but, to gratify their tafte, they frequently added fnow, or ice, which were apt to vitiate the water by their impurities. But the manner of cooling and diluting their wines was greatly improved, by immerfing the veffel which contained Setinum, dominæque nives denfique trientes + Aph. xvi. Sect. 5. Lib. vi. Ep.86. Lib. vii. Et Cæl. Rhodig. Lib. xix. cap. 6. Rhodios effe Spatalones et There mopolas id eft fluere delici's et caldum bibere. § Forfitan imbelleis Rhodios, unetamque Corinthum Lib. v. cap. .---Lib. xxv. Lib. xii. Ep. 60. the 1 the wine mixed with boiled water, into fnow; by which means it very quickly received a more pure, equal, and intenfe degree of coldnefs, and is on that account particularly diftinguished by Martial *. "This invention † Pliny afcribes to Nero, who valued himself more on this improvement in luxury, than Auguftus did on encouraging the finer arts; but though he might have been the first who introduced the more frequent ufe of it at Rome, it was undoubtedly a very ancient cuftom. Celfus gives to Afclepiades the merit of reviving it among the Greeks. Herodotus mentions, that when the king of Perfia went with his army on an expedition, he drank no water but what had been taken from the river Choafpes, which being firft boiled, and afterwards received into filver veffels, was conveyed in four wheeled machines, drawn by mules, wherever he went, and kept folely for the ufe of the king. § Athenæus confirms this account, and mentions the manner in which this royal water was conveyed and preferved, and fays it was of the lightest and most grateful kind. Alexander, in his Indian expedition, at the fiege of Petra, directed thirty pits to be made as refervoirs for fnow, which were covered with ftraw, to defend it against the external air; with this his wine and water was cooled. Galen, who was long acquainted with this method of preparing the water in his own country, particularly recommends it; and fays, that the custom then prevailed at Rome of preparing their water by firft boiling it, and afterwards cooling it in fnow, and that it was then called Deco&ta. This dif tinguishing term therefore not only denotes cold water, which had been boiled, but which had been afterwards made more exquifitely cold, by being cooled with ice or fnow; which is ftrongly exprefied by Juvenal, and diftinguished by ** Martial with the name of Nobile Frigus. "This prevailing cuftom not only contributed to make their wines more agreeable and falutary, but the hot water was often neceffary to diffolve their more infpiffated and old wines. Several paffiges in the poets, which only regard this previous and elegant preparation of the water, either appear obfcure, or have been mistaken for the manner in which they drank their wines. Thus Horace, Non potare nivem, fed aquam potare regentem De nive, commenta eft ingeniofa fitis. Lib. xiv. Ep 117. Neronis principes hoc inventum fueris decoquere aquam, vitorque dimiffam in nives refrigerare, ita voluptas frigoris contingit fine vitio mivis omnem itaque dococtam utiliorem effe convenit item calefactam citius refrigerari nobiliffimo hoc invento. Lib. xxxi. * Και δη και ύδωρ απο το Χοαπσεω ποταμω αμα αγέλαι τα παρα Σεσα ξέοντος, τα μόνα Βασιλεύς τινεί, και αλλά ουδενός ποταμε τότε δε Χοαπσεω τα ύδατος απεψημενα, πολλαί άμαξαι τετράκυκλοι ημιονεια, κομίζεσαι εν αργυρείοσι αγγειοσι έπονται οποί αν Ελαύνος έκαςοτέ. In Clio, cap. I. Ctefius Cnidius, apud Athen. Lib. ii. cap. 2. Chares Mytellen. apud Athen. lib. iii. cap. 21. 1 Ως εν Ρώμη σκευαζειν εθος έχεσιν προσθεςμαίνονίες κατασευήν, ην αυτοι προσαγορεύωσι Δρκοκίαν. Meth. Med. Lib. vii. cap. 4. + Frigidior Geticis petitur decocta pruinis. Sat. 5. v. 50. ** Quo tibi decoéte nobile frigus aquæ. Lib. xiv. Ep. 116. ++ Quo Chium pretio cadum Mercemur; quis aquam temperet ignibus. L13 Lib. iii. Ode 19. when when he endeavours to difengage his friend Telephus from his an xious attention to ferious affairs and studies, excites him, with his peculiar fpirit, to direct his thoughts to what may much more conduce to his real happiness; how they may purchase a cask of the best Chian wine? And who can beft prepare the boiled water, that, when cooled in fnow, it may be drank in the greatest perfection? Which is undoubtedly the true fenfe of this paffage, but mistaken by all the commentators." PA M PH LET S. POLITIC s. ART. X. Seafonable Advice, to the Members of the British Parliament, concerning Conciliatory Meafures with America; and an A&t of Perpetual Infolvency, for Relief of Debtors: with fome Strictures on the Reciprocal Duties of Sovereigns and Senators. 8vo. 1s. Bew, We are told from the beft fcriptural authority that there is nothing like a word in feafon,.-We are told, by the next best authority that a WORD to the WISE is enough -Both may be true, and yet whole volumes, published both.in feafon and out of feafon to the FOOLISH,. may turn out like the founding of brafs and the tinkling of the cymbal. "It was firft intended, fays this writer, in an advertisement prefixed to this pamphlet, to have fent it abroad while the parliament was fitting; but, on maturer reflection, it was judged better to delay the publication, till a period of coolness, and leifure, when, the recefs, may give the members a fitter opportunity to confider its arguments.With this view, it has been poftponed; and with this view it now makes its appearance." It had been well if this advifing author, when he was fo good and fo confiderate as to give the members of the legislature time to grow cool at leisure, had taken the pains or had the patience to cool himfelf for really he feems to be a very warm writer. He has the boldness to addrefs the legislature on two points, the most important and interesting now before them!-He has the weakness to found the fuccefs of his addrefs on the principles of juftice and bumanity.Poor ignorant devil! He may be cool and hot again before he reflects that neither the legislative, nor executive part of government in this devoted country are influenced either by the principles of justice or humanity-devoted, not a facrifice to the gods;" perhaps "fcarce a due difpenfation under the decrees of Providence," but an immolation to the demons of deftruction:-Without meaning to point at any particular perfonages, this is undoubtedly the cafe in general. We fhould otherwife never have feen, what we have feen of late years, fo many private acts of parliament paffed under colour of public purpofes, and fo many public acts paffed by, to ferve private purpofes. Had this writer, we fay, taken the time and pains to grow cool and confiderate enough to give fuch advice as an individual might prefume |