Wesley Corpus

If you are sincere in this plea, if you do not talk of CoNCERNING TEA. 509 your health, while the real objection is your inclination, make a fair trial thus: (1.) Take half a pint of milk every morning, with a little bread, not boiled, but warmed only: A man in tolerable health might double the quantity. (2.) If this is too heavy, add as much water, and boil it together, with a spoonful of oatmeal. (3.) If this agrees not, try half a pint, or a little more, of water-gruel, neither thick nor thin; not sweetened, for that may be apt to make him sick, but with a very little butter, salt, and bread. (4.) If this disagrees, try sage, green balm, mint, or penny-royal tea, infusing only so much of the herb as just to change the colour of the water. (5.) Try two or three of these mixed, in various proportions. (6.) Try ten or twelve other English herbs. (7.) Try foltron, a mixture of herbs to be had at many grocers’, far healthier, as well as cheaper, than tea. (8.) Try cocoa. If, after having tried each of these for a week or ten days, you find none of them will agree with your constitution, then use (weak green) tea again; but at the same time know, that your having used it so long has brought you near the chambers of death. 17. II. “I do not know,” says another, “but tea may hurt me; but there is nothing saved by leaving it off; for I am sure other things cost full as much.” I pray, what other things? Sack-and-sugar costs more; and so do ragouts, or pheasants, or ortolans. But what is this to the point? We do not say, All things are cheaper: But any of the things above mentioned are; at least, if prudently managed. Therefore, if you really desire to save what you can, you will drink tea no more. 18. “Well, I do not design to buy any more myself; but where others drink it, there is nothing saved by my abstaining.” I answer, First, Yes, something is saved, though but little; especially if you tell them before, “I shall not drink tea.” And many a little you know, put together, will make a great sum.