Royal Physician, Monsieur Fagon, is reported to have devoted his best
energies to a public oration of a very violent kind against snuff,
which unfortunately failed to convince his auditory, as the excited
lecturer in his most enthusiastic moments refreshed his nose with a
pinch.

[Illustration: A tobacco grater.]

Although disliked by the most polished prince of Europe, the use of
snuff increased and soon spread outside the limits of the court of
France and in a short time became a favorite mode of using tobacco as
it continues to be with many at this day.[59] The snuff-boxes of this
period were very elegant and were decorated with elaborate paintings
or set with gems. It was the custom to carry both a snuff-box and a
tobacco grater, which was often as expensive and elegant as the
snuff-box itself. Many of them were richly carved and ornamented in
the most superb manner. Others bore the titles and arms of the owner
and it was considered as part of a courtier's outfit to sport a
magnificent box and grater. The French mode of manufacturing snuff was
to saturate the leaves in water, then dry them and color according to
the shade desired. The perfume was then added and the snuff was
prepared for use. The kind of tobacco used was "Tobac de Virginie."
Spanish snuff was perfumed in the same manner with the additional use
of orange-flower water. Carver gives the mode of manufacturing snuff
in America (1779).

[Footnote 59: The Rev. S. Wesley speaking of the abuses
of tobacco, intimates that the human ear, will not long,
remain exempted from its affliction.

"To such a height with some is fashion grown
They feed they very nostrils with a spoon.
One, and but one degree is wanting yet,
To make their senseless luxury complete;
Some choice regale, useless as snuff and dear,
To feed the mazy windings of the ear."]

"Being possessed of a tobacco wheel, which is a very simple
machine, they spin the leaves, after they are properly
cured, into a twist of any size they think fit; and having
folded it into rolls of about twenty pounds weight each,
they lay it by for use. In this state it will keep for
several years, and be continually improving, as it every
hour grows milder. When they have occasion to use it, they
take off such a length as they think n