The first temperance society in England was formed at Brad-ford, York-shire, on the 2nd Feb-ru-ary 1830, the chief mover having been Mr. Henry Forbes, who had signed the pledge at Glasgow. But the use of ardent8 spirits was condemned9 by many medical practitioners10 early in the seven-teenth cen-tury, although the United Kingdom does not seem to have abstained11 from strong waters any the more. Repressive leg-is-la-tion, in order to inculcate sobriety, was tried in Mas-sa-chu-setts, U.S., early in the present century, but a few years before a society had been formed at Moreau, New York State, in order to prohibit the con-sumption of both wines and spirits, except {228} medicinally, or wine except at public dinners or in the Lord’s Supper.
The work whence I have gleaned12 the above details also informs the reader that “such as Doctor Samuel Johnson and John Howard set an example of abstinence from all inebriating13 drinks”; which, as far as Doctor Johnson is concerned, is somewhat startling news to myself. I had always imagined that the burly lexicographer—I was reproved by a critic for calling him this in Cakes and Ale—was a bit of a boon14 companion; and the records of Fleet Street taverns15 by no means tend to contradict this idea. Not only is the hard, oaken seat at one end of the dining-room of “Ye Olde Cheshyre Cheese” marked with a brass16 plate, with a suitable inscription17, but the many visitors to that snug18 hostelry, including hundreds of our American cousins, are always taken upstairs and shewn Doctor Johnson’s chair. Did “Sam,” and “Davy,” and “Noll” slake19 their thirst on cold water, beneath that tavern’s roof? I trow not. Cross out Doctor Johnson’s name as a total abstainer, please.
In 1834, Mr. J. S. Buckingham, who was returned for Sheffield to the first Reform Parliament, succeeded in obtaining a select committee of the House of Commons, to enquire20 into the causes, extent, and remedies of drunkenness. In the meantime the limitation of the pledge to abstention from ardent spirits had proved a greater drawback than in other countries, because beer had been the popular beverage21, and its use a cause of widespread drunkenness before ardent spirits were commonly sold. But the idea of {229} our legislators before 1834 had been that “good malt and hops22 could injure nobody.”
From ’34 to ’45 there was great activity in the temperance ranks through-out the world; and in ’53 the United Kingdom Alliance for the Legislative23 Suppression of the Liquor Traffic was formed, its first pres-i-dent being Sir W. C. Trevelyan. In March ’64 a Permis-sive Prohi-bi-tory Bill was brought into the House of Commons, but although repeatedly re-introduced it never obtained a second reading. Nor is it likely that such a Bill will ever become law as long as the sons of Britannia are living outside a state of slavery. Repressive legislation serves only to stimulate24 that which it claims to check; and thus it is that these would-be reformers, whether Prohibitors of the Drink Traffic, Vigilance and Purity Societies, and Anti-gambling Societies have succeeded in making the state of London infinitely25 worse, as regards drunkenness, chastity, and betting, than it was forty years ago.
Poor frail26 humanity will always do the thing which it ought not to do in preference to fulfilling its obligations. It has been so since the be-gin-ning of the world, and will continue so until the end. For-bid-den fruit has ever been the sweetest; and it is char-ac-ter-is-tic of mankind—and more especially of womankind—to oppose, as far as they can, any attempt at restraint. What has been the effect of closing Cremorne Gardens, the Argyll Rooms, and other public resorts where dancing and revelry were carried on until the small hours, five-and-twenty years ago? {230} The evil took refuge in the open streets, and, more recently, in so-called social clubs, in which illicit27 liquors were, and are, sold, and the pander28, and the pimp, and the bully29 met, and meet the drunkard, the dupe, and the greenhorn. What has been the effect of the Anti-gambling Crusade? To create working-men bookmakers. This is a fact. In most large warehouses30 and factories there are employés who will lay “starting prices,” in shillings and sixpences, to their mates. There is not a tithe31 of the amount wagered32 amongst the upper classes that there was in the fifties and sixties; but amongst the horny-handed sons of toil33 the vice34 has increased to an enormous extent, mainly owing to repressive legislation. If a man wants to gamble there is only one factor to prevent him—impecuniosity; and even that factor need not prevent a man from having a drink if he waits in the tap-room long enough on pay-day. Since Sunday closing in Wales, shebeens have arisen by the hundred; and paraffin, for want of a better drink, is still drunk on the Sabbath day, by the miners in the Rhondda Valley.
All honour to him who abstains35 from strong drink for conscience’ sake, or in the hope that others may profit by his example. But the lash36 of scorn for him who because he does not swallow fermented37 refreshment38 himself, says to his brother “Thou shalt not drink!” The Puritans abolished bear-baiting, not on account of the cruelty to the bears, but because the alleged39 sport gave pleasure to the people; and the Puritans of the day, who forbid cakes and ale, {231} and hunting, and horse-racing, do so for the self-same reason.
“He who does not smoke,” said the sage40, “has known no great sorrow.” Similarly, it may be urged that he who never joins in a friendly glass has known no great joy. Do we express our unfeigned joy and thankfulness for having a great and good Queen to reign41 over us by toasting her in flat soda-water? Forbid the deed! When our sons return from the midst of many and great dangers, from the battle-field, the raging deep, or the land of savages42, do we express our delight by putting the kettle on to boil? Avaunt?! I have known a man who had won ￡27,000 on a certain Wednesday at Ascot, dine that same night off a chump chop, chips, and a bottle of ginger-beer, at a coffee-house no great distance from Fleet Street. And he gave the waitress one penny for herself, and counselled her not to “get gamblin’?” with it. But amongst my own personal friends, when the fancied horse catches the eye of the judge, there is revelry; and who shall say that they sin thereby43? I do not believe in the man who takes his winnings sadly—or at all events impassively. “A shout, and a drink, and then sit down and write about it,” is the programme pursued by a journalistic friend; and although I do not always “write about it,” ’tis much the same programme pursued by myself. Nor do we rejoice for the sole reason that we have got the better of somebody else. For, alas44! the balance at the end of the year is far too often in favour of that “somebody else.”
“On the question of the prohibition5 of the {232} liquor traffic,” says an authority on the ethics45 or total abstinence, “there has been much controversy46. Its opponents have contended that it is an invasion of personal liberty; that even when imposed by a majority it is a violation47 of the rights of the minority, and that all that is really required is such a magisterial48 and police supervision49 as will repress drunkenness as much as possible, and inflict50 different penalties on offenders51. To this statement various answers are returned. With regard to the violation of personal liberty the prohibitionists maintain that in one sense all law interferes52 with liberty. A good law interferes with the liberty to do wrong. Therefore, they say, assuming that the common sale of drinks wrongs the public a law interfering53 with this wrong is in accord with true liberty. They hold that individual profit must be subservient54 to the public welfare, Salus populi suprema lex. If hardship is alleged as affecting the buyer, the statement of John Stuart Mill is quoted, who declared that every artificial augmentation of the price of an article is prohibition to the more or less poor; yet there is hardly any government which does not in some way or other legislate55 so that the price of intoxicants is increased. As to the possibility of extirpating56 intemperance57 by means of strict regulation as to the sale of drink, the prohibitionists affirm that the existing system has been tried for hundreds of years, and often under the most favourable58 circumstances for its success, and that yet the licensing59 system, as judged by its fruits, is confessed to be a mel-an-choly failure.” {233}
My remarks on the above are few and simple. It is this very Jesuitical logic which has earned the “prohibitionists” the contempt of all friends of freedom. It is this false and tyrannical doctrine60 which asserts that “the end justifies the means,” which still stinks61 in the nostrils62 of the majority of the people’s representatives in Parliament.
Now for a few hints as to some non-alcoholic beverages63. And first of all let it be stated that the thirsty man can do much worse than turn to a teetotal beverage—as long as he avoids the bottled flatulence which is sold, and freely advertised outside, in pretty nearly every country cottage which can boast of good accommodation for travellers, and a bicycle shed. The iced fruit-fizzers of Mr. Sainsbury—where the pick-me-ups come from—close to the Lady’s Pictorial64 office, are, to my personal knowledge, freely patronized in summer-time by habitual65 worshippers at the shrine66 of Bacchus. Moreover a follower67 of the sport of kings would rather go without whisky all the afternoon than miss his cup of tea, after business hours. No directions are needed here for the man-u-fac-ture of tea or coffee. Every housewife has a way of her own; and it is as the laws of the Medes and Persians that her way is the only way. Nor need a discussion be entered on as to the respective merits of different brands of cocoa.
A Superior Lemon Squash.
Take the juice of eight lemons, and sweeten it, allowing one tablespoonful of sifted68 sugar to each {234} lemon. Put the juice into an enamelled saucepan and simmer gently over the fire until the sugar is quite dissolved. Beat up the white of one egg, add to the syrup69, and stir well till the mixture boils; let it boil for a minute or two, and pour gently through a jelly-bag into a basin. When quite cold add a quarter of an ounce of citric acid, bottle, and cork70 tightly. When required for use, put six drops of Angostura bitters in a soda-water tumbler, turn it round and round, then add a wine-glassful of the squash, fill up with soda-water, place a thin slice of lemon atop, and serve with two straws.
Almond Comfy.
Put six ounces of pulverized71 sweet almonds and two ounces of smashed bitters ditto into a saucepan with one quart of water, and let it simmer for a quarter of an hour; then add one pound of sifted sugar. When dissolved strain through a hair sieve73 or jelly-bag, and add a tablespoonful of orange-flower water. When cold, a wine-glassful of the mixture should be put into a tumbler, which should be filled up with soda-or Seltzer-water.
Temperance Cider.
Put half a gallon of water on to boil, and when boiling throw into the saucepan a dozen medium-sized apples, cut into slices unpeeled. Keep the lot boiling until quite tender, then strain till dry, taking care not to let any of the pulp74 escape through the sieve. Add sifted sugar ad lib., and the juice of two lemons. Let the mixture stand until cool, when it will be ready for use. Of course ice is an improvement, in warm weather. And only add a soup?on of eau de vie when you are quite alone. {235}
The next item on the programme is called in my book,
Drink for Dog Days,
but as this is not a nice name, and suggests hydrophobia and—other things, I will re-christen it
Citron de Luxe.
The composition is very simple. Put a lemon-ice in a large tumbler, fill up with soda-water, stir well, and drink.
N.B.—Mr. George Krehl, of “Verrey’s,” who knows something about dog days, and dogs, won the prize offered in the Sporting Times for the best recipe for a summer drink, many years ago, with a similar suggestion. But G. K. added a small glass of Cura?oa, and (I think) a drop or two of Angostura bitters.
Cherry Cobbler
Take one pound of cherries of Kent, free from stalks and stones. Throw them into a pint75 of boiling syrup, made of one pound of loaf-sugar dissolved in one pint of water. Let the cherries boil as fast as possible—“gallop” is, I believe, the technical word—for ten minutes, and then add a quart of boiling water; put the whole into a pan, and when cold strain. The addition of soda-water will make it all the more watery76.
D. D.
[This is not naughty language, but short for Delicious Drink.]
Mix together one pint of raspberries, one pint of {236} strawberries, and one pint of white currants, all free from stalks; mash72 them well together, and then add two quarts of boiling water, and three quarters of a pound of sifted sugar. Let the mixture remain in a bowl all night—unless you make it early in the morning, when all day will do as well—then strain, and give it the dear children before their dinner.
Raspberry Squash.
Put into a large soda-water tumbler one tablespoonful of raspberry syrup, one tablespoonful of lemon squash (vide above) and a lump of ice; nearly fill the glass with soda-water, and ornament77 with a thin slice of lemon, and a few red and white raspberries. Drink through straws.
Raspberry Vinegar.
Take ripe, dry raspberries, and pour over them sufficient good malt vinegar to cover them; let them stand three or four days, stirring occasionally with a silver spoon. On the fourth day, strain through a sieve, and let them drain for some hours; measure the juice, and add an equal quantity of sifted sugar; put into a lined preserving pan, and let the mixture boil gently for five or six minutes. Carefully remove the scum as it rises. When cold, bottle, and cork well. A wine-glassful with a bottle of soda-water is a refreshing78 “cooler” in illness.
Elderberry Punch.
Put two bottles of elderberry wine, ―― hallo! what’s this? I turn to the recipe for Elder Wine, and read: “A quart of brandy thrown into the cask {237} when it is about to be sealed up will greatly improve the wine.” Then what sort of a temperance drink can Elderberry Punch be? No more on that head, in the name of St. Wilfrid.
I also read, in the work of reference from which I am quoting, under the same heading, “Temperance Drinks,” that:—
“Many of the British wines, mixed with an equal quantity of water, with a little ice, make very cool and refreshing drinks.” Very, very likely. But can there be wine without fermentation? And are the total abstainers, not content with drinking alcoholic gingerade and stone ginger-beer, getting the wedge in still further. Forbid it!
Cold Spring-water
is a most excellent drink, and according to so great an authority as Sir Henry Thompson, not only the cheapest drink in the world but the best. For my own poor part I prefer milk-punch. And as the Scotchman said, I have “tried baith.”
The End
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abstainer
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| 节制者，戒酒者，弃权者 | |
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collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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prohibition
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| n.禁止；禁令，禁律 | |
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justifies
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| 证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护） | |
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alcoholic
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| adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者 | |
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ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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practitioners
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| n.习艺者，实习者( practitioner的名词复数 )；从业者（尤指医师） | |
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abstained
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| v.戒（尤指酒），戒除( abstain的过去式和过去分词 )；弃权（不投票） | |
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gleaned
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| v.一点点地收集（资料、事实）( glean的过去式和过去分词 )；（收割后）拾穗 | |
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inebriating
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| vt.使酒醉，灌醉（inebriate的现在分词形式） | |
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boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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taverns
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| n.小旅馆，客栈，酒馆( tavern的名词复数 ) | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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slake
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| v.解渴，使平息 | |
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enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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beverage
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| n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料 | |
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hops
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| 跳上[下]( hop的第三人称单数 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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legislative
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stimulate
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| vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋 | |
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infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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illicit
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| adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的 | |
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pander
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| v.迎合；n.拉皮条者，勾引者；帮人做坏事的人 | |
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bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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warehouses
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tithe
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| n.十分之一税；v.课什一税，缴什一税 | |
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wagered
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| v.在（某物）上赌钱，打赌( wager的过去式和过去分词 )；保证，担保 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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abstains
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| 戒（尤指酒），戒除( abstain的第三人称单数 )； 弃权（不投票） | |
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lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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fermented
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| v.（使）发酵( ferment的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）激动；骚动；骚扰 | |
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refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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alleged
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| a.被指控的，嫌疑的 | |
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sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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thereby
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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ethics
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| n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准 | |
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controversy
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| n.争论，辩论，争吵 | |
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violation
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| n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯 | |
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magisterial
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| adj.威风的，有权威的；adv.威严地 | |
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supervision
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| n.监督，管理 | |
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inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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offenders
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| n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物） | |
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interferes
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| vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉 | |
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interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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subservient
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| adj.卑屈的，阿谀的 | |
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legislate
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| vt.制定法律；n.法规，律例；立法 | |
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extirpating
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| v.消灭，灭绝( extirpate的现在分词 )；根除 | |
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intemperance
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favourable
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licensing
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doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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stinks
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| v.散发出恶臭( stink的第三人称单数 )；发臭味；名声臭；糟透 | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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beverages
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| n.饮料( beverage的名词复数 ) | |
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pictorial
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| adj.绘画的；图片的；n．画报 | |
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habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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shrine
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| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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follower
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| n.跟随者；随员；门徒；信徒 | |
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sifted
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| v.筛( sift的过去式和过去分词 )；筛滤；细查；详审 | |
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69
syrup
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| n.糖浆，糖水 | |
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70
cork
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| n.软木，软木塞 | |
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71
pulverized
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| adj.[医]雾化的，粉末状的v.将…弄碎( pulverize的过去式和过去分词 )；将…弄成粉末或尘埃；摧毁；粉碎 | |
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72
mash
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| n.麦芽浆，糊状物，土豆泥；v.把…捣成糊状，挑逗，调情 | |
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73
sieve
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| n.筛，滤器，漏勺 | |
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74
pulp
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| n.果肉，纸浆；v.化成纸浆，除去...果肉，制成纸浆 | |
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75
pint
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| n.品脱 | |
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76
watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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77
ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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78
refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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