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NICOTIANA;

OR THE

SMOKER’S AND SNUFF-TAKER’S
COMPANION;

CONTAINING THE

HISTORY OF TOBACCO;

CULTURE—MEDICAL QUALITIES AND THE LAWS
RELATIVE TO ITS IMPORTATION AND
MANUFACTURE:

WITH AN
Essay in its Defence.

THE WHOLE ELEGANTLY EMBELLISHED AND INTERSPERSED
WITH

ORIGINAL POETRY AND ANECDOTES,
BEING INTENDED AS AN AMUSING AND INSTRUCTIVE VOLUME
FOR ALL
GENUINE LOVERS OF THE HERB,

BY HENRY JAMES MELLER, ESQ.

LONDON:
EFFINGHAM WILSON,
Royal Exchange.
1832.

TO
H. R. H. THE DUKE OF SUSSEX,
This little Work,
AS A
TRIFLING TOKEN OF VENERATION FOR HIS CHARACTER
AND ESTEEM FOR HIS TASTE,
IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED.

PREFACE.

Many an excellent cause has been lost through the want of sound arguments, founded on a knowledge of the case, to support and place it in its proper light. None, perhaps, more than smoking and snuff-taking, the propriety of which, in the upper orders of life, have been and are, whether as regards their social or medicinal qualities, so frequently called in question by their enemies. These, the author is sorry to say, by the use of a few specious arguments, that chiefly pass current in refined society—the ladies in particular—have, strongly aided by prejudice, often made the defence succumb to the attack—an unpardonable weakness on the part of a consumer of the herb, who is naturally enough expected to know the entire history of the favorite of his adoption. Unacquainted with the excellence of his subject, its importance and consequence in ancient and modern annals—its high worshippers and eulogists, medical, and non-medical, with its many endearing and social virtues acknowledged over the far greater part of the world; he, the Author asserts, unacquainted with the above data and references, opposes but a feeble barrier to the sweeping and general assertions of his adversary.

In the above glorious cause (i. e. Anti-Smokers and Snuff-Takers v. Lovers of the Herb) the Author himself holds a brief in the defence as counsel, and flattering himself he has made himself fully master of the case, he begs to impart it as a proper, if not an absolutely requisite accompaniment to all lovers of the ‘soothing leaf.’ The prejudices against smoking are numerous. Smoking that is called unsocial, the author affirms to be the common source of harmony and comfort,—the badge of good fellowship in almost every state, kingdom, and empire. Aye, from the English settlers in the wildernesses of America, where the Calumet or Pipe of Peace is smoked by the natives, to the turbaned infidel of the East—from the burning zone of Africa to the icy regions of the North. In fact, in almost every clime and condition of society it is known as a common sign, or freemasonry of friendly feeling and social intercourse. In the East, the first act of hospitality is proffering the pipe with its invariable accompaniment coffee, which is more or less observed under various modifications over nearly the rest of the habitable world.

Smoking that is termed low and vulgar was, and is, an occasional recreation with most of the crowned heads of Europe, among which may be named his late Majesty, and their Royal Highnesses the Dukes of Sussex and Cumberland—Ferdinand of Spain, and the Emperor Nicholas of Germany—besides very many of the nobility of either empires and kingdoms.

Smoking that is termed idle, is singularly popular with mechanics, the most industrious classes of England.

Smoking that is said to be dirty and filthy, is in the greatest esteem, among the most moral and cleanly sect in Christianity—the Society of Friends or Quakers.

Smoking that is affirmed to be revolting and disgusting, is indulged in by the most rigidly kept women in the world—those of Turkey, who elevated in the dignity of the Haram, are taught to consider a whiff of their lord’s chibouque a distinction. Then the ladies of both Old and New Spain, who twining in the mazes of the giddy waltz, take the cigarros from their own pretty lips to transfer to those of their favoured partners. If indeed, royalty be wanted in the female line, since the good old times of Elizabeth, who can be so lamentably ignorant in the annals of smoking, as not to know, that the late Tumehemalee, Queen Consort of Tirahee, king of the Sandwich Islands, was dotingly fond of a pipe—sensible woman and above all petty prejudices as she was, at our own honoured court.

Now, in regard to snuff, that like smoking is so much abused, coming under the bans of the ignorant and prejudiced, beastly is the word commonly given to its application, though used to the greatest excess in the famed land of politesse—France. The most polished and fascinating address is ever followed by the gracefully proffered snuff-box. What a vast deal does it not speak at once in a man’s favor, begetting instantly a friendly sympathy in the head that gradually extends to the heart. What does not Moliere, their favorite author say, in favor of the herb? for the benefit of casuists we quote the sublime panegyric, which alone ought to confirm the bold lovers of the pipe and box, and ‘inspire and fire’ the diffident and wavering.

“Quoi que puisse dire Aristote, et toute la philosophie, il n’est rien d’égal au tabac; c’est la passion des honnêtes gens, et qui vit sans tabac, n’est pas digne de vivre. Non seulement il réjouit et purge les cerveaux humains, mais encore il instruit les ames à la vertu et l’on apprend avec lui à devenir honnête homme. Ne voyez-vous pas bien, dès qu’on en prend, de quelle manière obligeante on en use avec tout le monde, et comme on est ravi d’en donner à droit et à gauche, par tout où l’on se trouve? On n’attend pas même que l’on en demande, et l’on court au devant du souhait des gens; tant il est vrai que le tabac inspire des sentimens d’honneur et de vertu à tous ceux qui en prennent.”

The pipe and the box are twin-brothers; they are the agents of friendship, conviviality, and mirth; they succour the distressed, and heal the afflicted; impartial and generous, they administer to all that sue for comfort, and the spirits of peace advance at their call; they live in charity with all men, unite them, and re-unite them, and