thout the aid of the visiter.

The same gentleman and Lord ----, at the Angel at Bury, fell in with
some excellent Claret. They had disposed of six bottles, when the
landlord, who did not guess or _gauge_ the _quality_ of his customers
(the bell being rung for a fresh supply,) begged very gently to hint
that it was expensive stuff, being fifteen shillings a bottle! "Oh! is
it so? then bring up two bottles directly!"

We have nothing, however, in modern times, at all equal to the account
given of some of the ancients. The elder Cato, we are told, warmed good
principles with a considerable quantity of good wine.[5] But Cicero's
son exceeds all others; so much so, that he got the name of _Bicongius_,
because he was accustomed to drink two congii[6] at a sitting. Pliny,
and others, abound in grand examples, that prove we have degenerated at
any rate in this respect, for these convivials were neither sick nor
sorry. Even that eminent debauchee, Nero, was only three times sick in
fourteen years. "Nam qui luxuriae immoderatissimae esset, ter omnino per
xiv. annos languit; atque ita, ut neque _vino_, neque consuetudine
_reliqua_ abstineret."

The Abbe de Voisenon, a very diminutive man, said to his physician, who
ordered him a quart of ptisan per hour, "Ah! my friend, how can you
desire me to swallow a quart an hour? I hold only a pint."

Wine has not only been considered good for the body, but has, from the
earliest period, been thought invigorating to the mind. Thus we find it
a constant theme of praise with poets. Martial says--

Regnat nocte calix, volvuntur biblia mane,
Cum Phoebo Bacchus dividit imperium.

All night I drink, and study hard all day;
Bacchus and Phoebus hold divided sway.

Horace has done ample justice to it; and even Homer says--

The weary find new strength in generous wine.

Upon the principle, no doubt, of expanding the imagination, we find, so
early as 1374, old Geoffrey Chaucer had a pitcher of wine a day allowed
him. Ben Jonson, in after times, had the third of a pipe annually; and a
certain share of this invigorating aliment has been the portion of
Laureates down to the present day.

Nor are the poets the only eulogists of wine. Some of the greatest names
in history are to be found in the list. We find Mr. Burke furnishing
reasons why the rich and the great should have their share of wine. He
says, they are among _the unhappy_--they feel personal pain and domestic
sorrow--t