IT is not unknown to all Engliſh men, how frequently His Majeſty has recommended to the ſeveral Parliaments in his Reign, the ſuppreſſing Vice, and that ſeveral good Bills has been added to thoſe of former Reigns, and a particular Recommendation given to the Lords Judges, that in their reſpective Circuits, they ſhould enjoyn their Execution; but the ſmall product theſe Laws and injunctions have made, would make a Man almoſt fancy a poſſibility of Chymerical Acts of an Engliſh Parliament, which would be affrontive, if not dangerous to Aſſert; tho' there is not much difference between Chymera's and Impoſſibilities; and I dare affirm, that it is, and ever will be next to an impoſſibility, to mend Engliſh Men and their Manners, whilſt a Latitude is given them to gratifie Corrupt Nature in the Epidemick Diſeaſe of Drinking Strong-Drink, as much and as oft as they can or pleaſe; but how this can be prevented is the Herculian Labour which has not yet been ſcarce ſo much as thought on, and for its impractibility, not attempted in any Authoritative manner; Therefore the Love I have for my Native Country, and ſincere Deſire of their Welfare, makes me caſt my Mite into the vaſt Treaſury of others Labours: ☞ And ſuppoſe that the Prices of all Strong-Drinks that are Sold by Retail were ſetled by Act of Parliament to ſuch a Price, as only wholeſom Table Small-Beer could be afforded to be Brewed for Sale, the conſequence is the moſt natural cogitation in the World; (for Ablata Cauſa, tollitur Effectus.) And that Strong-Drink is the Cauſe of almoſt all our National Misfortunes, is deducible from Matter of Fact, the Solideſt of Arguments He muſt have but little Underſtanding, and leſs Grace, that will plead either Cuſtom or Convenience againſt it; For under theſe two Heads are Reducible all that can be ſaid concerning it; as to the former, I hope the ſooner we are ſhut of Evil Cuſtoms the better; and let any one prove that ſelling of Strong-Drink by Retail is a good Cuſtom, as it is uſed in England, if he can. I deny it, and Challenge all Opponents, but Drunkards and Fools, which I hope exempt themſelves from being anſwered (by their very Names.)

And for the Latter, the moſt material are the Conſumption of the Growth of the Kingdom, the Revenue ariſing therefrom; the uſefulneſs of ſtronger Drink, than Table-Beer for the behoof of Mankind, and Ruin of the preſent Families depending thereupon; and to each of theſe, I ſhall ſay a little out of much, that may hereafter be ſaid, if occaſion be.

For it is no eaſy matter when men are got into a Road that leads to Intereſt and Eaſe, to perſwade them to change it, or go the leaſt way about to attain an ungotten Treaſure, tho' never ſo certain at laſt.

To begin therefore with the Conſumption of Corn, the Growth of the Nation. I conceive that whatſoever Commodity is brought to perfection in a Country, and deſtroyed in the ſame, may ſupport, but will not enrich that Country; But thouſands of Laſts of Corn is brought to perfection in England, and conſumed by the exceſſive Debauchery of Drinking Strong-Drink, to the Encouragement of all manner of Vice, and beyond the Neceſſity of almoſt any ſingle Perſon; Therefore this Conſumption is no way profitable to the Nation, but highly detrimental in the ſight of God, and any reaſonable and good Man.

2ly, In regard of the Revenue ariſing therefrom, it is a contradiction to pretend to ſuppreſs Vice and expect a Support by its Continuance; and that Government muſt have a bad foundation, which is Built upon the deſtruction of Body and Soul of its People; 'Tis confeſſed, that vaſt Sums do acrue to the King's Coffers, which yet is but one Sixth of the Product of ſo much Corn waſted in Mault:

For beſides what goes to the Maintaining Brewers and Ale-Houſe-keepers in Pride and Luxury, all the reſt is piſs'd aagainſt the Wall, and ſo much Money returned to make men Wicked and Poor.

We always ſay, 'Tis opportunity makes the Thief; and what is it that makes the Profane and Drunkards, but a Liberty and Opportunity to be ſo? For if no Strong-Drink were to be ſold, (as it is in every Hole and Corner, and at every place with full Licenſe to Drink as long as they can pay) the Country Gentlemen, Tradeſmen, Mechanicks and Plowmen, would be ſober and frugal in ſpite of their Teeths; the Latters Families would be maintained in Honeſty and commendable eaſy Faſhion: And all the Complaints of our Mechanicks, That they are eaten out by Foreigners, would be frivolous; For 'tis their own 〈…〉 Drinking, that devours their Wages; whereas the others parſimonious Living, impower them to ſell Cheaper, and perhaps better Wares than can be afforded, or perhaps made by the beſt of our Ingenious Artiſts, who are uſually Named with this detractive: He is an Ingenious Fellow but a Pot-Companion; and the Name of Poor would be almoſt forgotten in a little time; For, tho' it is truly ſaid in an Ingenious Paper, Relating to a National Fiſhery, That moſt People at the Gallows complain, That Neceſſity brought them thither; it may be as wiſely conſidered, that their own Extravagancy was the Occaſion of that neceſſity.

For in our Nation, we are ſo Plentifully ſupplied by the Almighty's Bounty, with all Things Neceſſary to our Welfare, if we could but underſtand the right uſe of them; that to ſee a Beggar in health between 10 and 60 years of Age, would beſpeak either Knavery or great Folly in them and the whole Pariſh they belong to, provided there was no Ale ſold by Retail. But whilſt that is ſuffered, the Fault lies in neither, as it is not in their Power to Redreſs. And if by Redreſſing this Mortal Grievance, there ſhould ariſe ſome Inconvenience for want of the Accuſtomed ſupply for the Government.

It cannot be ſuppoſed but the Wiſdom of our Senators can ſupply that defect by ſome other Tax, which every man would be able pay, by reaſon they could not ſpend their Money extravagantly, and the Taxation would lie more equal, For now he that Spends moſt, Pays moſt, yet has the moſt need to keep his Money. And ſuch Men will eſcape with ſober Heads and full Pockets, for other Uſes in their Families: And Corn might be always had at Reaſonable Rates; and great Stores kept in publick Granaries to ſupply our ſelves and Neighbours, in leſs plentiful years.

It may be taken for Granted, that mankind naturally abhors perfect Idleneſs; and if in Drinking nothing but the Appetite was indulged, Men would ſoon be weary of it. But under the Notion of Converſation, Idle and Profane Talk, Curſing, and Swearing, (which they call Pleaſant Company) betrays them into loſs of Time, Health, Wealth, Body, and I doubt, too many Souls into the Bargain, which would be abſolutely prevented by having no Drink ſold, but ſuch as is proper to quench Thirſt, which is all that Wiſe Nature requires at our hands for her ſupport; and if any, or all men were Neceſſitous by their ha 〈…〉 to drink ſtronger, Let them Brew and welcome. I am fully perſwaded, they will ſoon be weary of giving their Drink away. For beſides the Charge, none but a perfect Beaſt will be willing to diſturb his own Family, (not even with his beſt Friends often.) And ſhould a few diſſolute Perſons, in contempt of Virtue, and in defiance to the Regular part of Mankind, preſume to continue Debauchery in their own Houſes, they would ſoon render themſelves the Object of every Man's Scorn, which would preſently make them Scorn themſelves for their preſumptuous Folly.

'Tis moſt likely that another great Convenience would Spring from hence. (viz.) The ordinary ſort of People may ſet an example of a temperate Hoſpitality, which has been of late turn'd into a Debaucht Ebriety and Voraciouſneſs among the ableſt and thoſe we call the greater Perſons; and by this means all the indiſpenſable Neceſſity of Strong Drink will be anſwer'd to a Tittle, as I ſhall make it appear more fully in a Book that will be ready for the Preſs againſt the next Seſſion of Parliament: In which will be anſwered all Objections in Relation to Travellers, Commerce (and the ſubſiſtance of a Standing Force, if it be thought neceſſary for the Honour and ſafety of the Kingdoms) and all other Objections, with ſubmiſſion to the Correction and Amendments of abler Heads and more cultivated Councels.

Laſtly, As to the preſent Perſons maintained by Retailing Strong-Drink: If a few People, that from Nothing (an Alehouſe being the laſt ſhift) are grown Opulent and haughty by other Men's Misfortunes, and their own not over honeſt Management, are to be preferred before a Common Good, that will furmount all the Benefits that have accrued to our Nation, for almoſt two Centuries, I'll ſubmit; but whilſt that be made apparent, I muſt take the liberty to ſay, That if our Anceſtors did wiſely deſcent from the Superſtitions of the Church of Rome, their Poſterity are become as blind I dolators of their own Paunches; and inſtead of Wooden, have ſet up Belly-Gods to themſelves.

I ſhall conclude this Paper with the Opinion of a Perſon concerning Tobacco, (viz.) He believed it was an Invention of the Devil; and that Satan, foreſeeing the Ruine of his Empire in America, by the Chriſtians, did ſore-cloſe (as we may call it) their Unde •••••• g, by cauſing thoſe Poor People (then abſolutely at his diſpoſal) to Worſhip him with Fire and Smoak out of their Mouths; by which Means it became habitual, and was uſed promiſcuouſly for Diverſion and Sacrifice, when the Europians arrived in their Country. A thing ſo contrary to Nature, that none but Lucifer could propoſe it; yet with their Gold, their new Gueſts ſwallowed their Cuſtom of Smoaking, and tranſmitted them to us; and to compleat the more than pagent Tragedy, we have added Drinking thereto, and by that means have fulfilled the ſubtil Enemies Deſigns, and raiſed him a New Empire in Europe, for the loſs of his old one in America; which I fear, is but too true,

I'll inſert a Story out of the Turkiſh Hiſtory, which I read long ſince; and not having the Book by me, cannot inſert the place; but 'tis in ſubſtance; That one of their Emperours, having in ſome of his Wars obſerved, that his Army mouldred away inſenſibly, asked the Muffti, what ſhould be the cauſe of it? Who anſwered, That he could give no other Reaſon, than that the Souldiers, who uſed to Eat Rice Bread and other wholeſome Food, had of late lived upon fire and ſmoak, which could not long Nouriſh, but conſume Nature. Upon which a Law was made againſt Smoaking and bringing Tobacco into the Camp; But a Merchant more Covetous than honeſt, would venture to bring ſome; which being diſcovered to the Grand Seignior, he cauſed him to be tyed to a Stake, his Tobacco ſet about him, and made one ſmoaking ſerve for all. A good example, only a little Turkiſh.