Wesley Corpus

Nay, everything round about is not only flat and insipid, but dreary and uncomfortable. It is not strange if, to one in this state, life itself is become a burden; yea, so insupportable a burden, that many who have all this world can give, desperately rush into an unknown world, rather than bear it any longer. 3. But what are the causes of this strange disorder? One cause is, the use of spirituous liquors. This is one of the horrid effects which naturally follow the swallowing that fashionable poison. That liquid fire lays the foundation of numberless diseases, and of this in particular. It is amazing that the preparing or selling this poison should be permitted (I will not say in any Christian country, but) in any civilized state. “O, it brings in a considerable sum of money to Government.” True; but is it wise to barter men’s lives for money? Surely, that gold is bought too dear, if it is the price of blood. Does not the strength of every country consist in the number of its inhabitants? If so, the lessening their number is a loss which no money can compensate. So that it is inexcusable ill husbandry, to give the lives of useful men for any sum of money whatever. 4. But a more extcnsive cause of this disorder than the use of drams, I apprehend, is the use of tea; particularly where it is taken either in large quantities, or strong, or without cream and sugar. “Nay, weak tea is far more hurtful.” This is a senseless, shameless falsehood. I long drank hot sugar-and-water instead of tea; and it did me no hurt at all. But three cups of strong tea will now make my hand shake, so that I can hardly write. And let any try the experiment: If any tea make his hand shake, it will not be weak tea, but strong. This has exceedingly increased the number of nervous complaints throughout the three kingdoms. And this furnishes us with a satisfactory answer to the common question, “Why are these complaints so general now, which were scarce heard of two or three centuries ago?” For this plain reason: Two or three centuries ago, no tea was drank in either Britain or Ireland. 5.