stomachs crucified. Since the peace, however, a visible increase in the consumption of French wine has taken place; and it may at this day be safely stated, that the man, generally speaking, who sported good port in 1812, sports good claret in 1824. Still a fine field remains for the patriotic exertions of Canning, Huskisson, and Robinson. And if anybody, out of a shovel-hat, drinks port habitually in 1834, these statesmen will have done less for their native land than I at present auspicate, from the known liberality, good taste, &c. &c. &c. by which they are, one and all of them, so egregiously distinguished. Let no filthy, dirty notions of conciliation condemn much longer the guts of the middle orders-the real strength of the nation to be deluged diurnally with the hot and corrosive liquor of Portugal-the produce of grapes grown by slaves and corrupted by knaves-while, by a slight alteration of the British code, every rector, vicar, and smallishlanded proprietor in England, might easily be enabled to paint his nose of a more delicate ruby, by cultivating an affectionate and familiar intimacy with the blood of the Bordelais.

But enough of all this. It is a truly distressing thing to me, and I am sure every right-feeling mind will go along with me in what I say, to observe the awful ignorance which most men make manifest whenever the different branches of oinological science happen to be tabled in the common course of Christian conversation. I speak of men in other respects estimable. I allow the full meed of applause to their virtues, personal, domestic, civic, and political-but is it, or is it not, the fact, that they scarcely seem to be aware of the difference between Lafitte and Latour ?-while, as for being in a condition to distinguish Johannisberg from Steinwein, or Hockheimer from Rudesheimer-the very idea of it is ridiculous. I earnestly recommend to those who are sensible of their own culpable deficiencies in these branches of information, or rather indeed I should say, of common education, to remain no longer in their present cimmerianism; and the plan I would humbly propose for their adoption is a very simple one. Buy this work of Dr Henderson's, and do not read through, but drink through it. Make it your business, after coming to the page at which he commences his

discussion of the wines now in daily use among the well-bred classes of the community,-make it your business to taste, deliberately and carefully, at least one genuine sample of each wine the Doctor mentions. Go through a regular course of claret and burgundy in particular. Lay the foundations of a real thorough-knowledge of the Rhinewines. Make yourself intimately acquainted with the different flavours of the dry wines of Dauphiny and the sweet wines of Languedoc. Get home some genuine unadulterated Alto Douro, and compare that diligently and closely with the stuff which they sell you under the name of port. Compare the real Sercial which has been at Cbina, with the ordinary truck or barter Madeira, and let the everyday Sherry be brought into immediate contact with the genuine vino catholico of Xeres. Study this with unremitting attention and sedulity for a few years, and depend upon it, that, at the end of your apprenticeship, you will look back with feelings, not of contempt merely, but of horror and disgust, upon the state in which you have so long suffered many of your noblest powers and faculties to slumber, or at least to doze.

I cannot sufficiently expatiate upon the absolute necessity of this in the course of a periodical paper, such as the present. Let it be impressed upon your minds-let it be instilled into your children-that he who drinks beer, ought to understand beer, and that he who quaffs the generous juice of the grape, ought to be skilled in its various qualities and properties. That man is despicable who, pretending to sport vin de Bourdeaux, gives you, under the absurd denomination of claret, a base mixture of what may be called Medoc smallbeer, and Palus, and Stum wine, and Alicant, and Benicarlo, and perhaps Hermitage, if not brandypoison, for which he pays, it is probable, three shillings a-bottle more than he would do if he placed upon his board in its stead the genuine uncontaminated liquid ruby of the Bordelais. I want words to express my contempt for him whose highly pow dered and white-waistcoated butler puts down vin de Fimes, that is to say, the worst white Champaigne, stained with elderberries and cream of tartar, when the call is for Clos St Thierry, or Ay-wines tinged with the roseate hues of sunset by the direct influence

of Phoebus. If you cannot afford claret, give port; if you cannot afford port, give beer-The only indispensable rules are two in number: Give

the article you profess to give, genuine, pure, and excellent; and give it freely, liberally, in full overflowing abundance and profusion.

Now for a few more samples of the doctor's admirable style of treating the practically useful parts of his very extensive subject. Perhaps no kinds of wine are less understood in this country than those of the Rhine. Let the following sentences be considered by the uninitiated as a sort of first page in the grammar, which, if they are ever to be worthy of dallying with a green goblet, they must make it forthwith their business to master.

"The wines of the Rhine may be regarded as constituting a distinct order by themselves. Some of the lighter sorts, indeed, resemble very much the vins de Graves; but, in general, they are drier than the French white wines, and are characterized by a delicate flavour and aroma, called in the country gare, which is quite peculiar to them, and of which it would, therefore, be in vain to attempt the description. A notion prevails, that they are naturally acid; and the inferior kinds, no doubt, are so: but this is not the constant character of the Rhine wines, which, in good years, have not any perceptible acidity to the taste, at least, not more than is common to them with the growths of warmer regions. But their chief distinction is their extreme durability, in which they are not surpassed by any other species of wine; and as they often possess this valuable quality, when they have little else to recommend them, it would seem to furnish an exception to the rules detailed in the preceding part of this work. A brief inquiry into the causes of the peculiarity in question will, however, show that this is not exactly the case.

"As the Rhine wines, when new, contain little more than half the quantity of alcohol which is usually found in the Madeira wine when imported into this country; and as this quantity is often reduced by long keeping so low as seven or eight per cent., it is evident, that the conservative power does not reside in the spiritous principle of these liquors. Their dryness proves, that the saccharine matter, which seldom or never exists in excess in the Rhenish grapes, has been fully decomposed; and from their brightness it may be inferred, that the superfluous leaven has been entirely precipitated. But these conditions, it may be urged, are found in ma ny of the Gascon white wines; which, al

though they will keep a certain number of years, are much more liable to spoil, than those of the Rhine, especially when remo

ved to warm climates. We must therefore

look for this preservative quality in some of the other constituents of the growths now under consideration; and we shall find it, if I mistake not, in the large proportion of free tartaric acid which they contain, and which can only be separated by the usual chemical reagents. Other wines, it is true, also contain this acid, but chiefly in combination with potash; in which state it is of difficult solution, and is gradually precipitated, at least in part, and with a portion of extractive matter, as the liquor advances in age; leaving the mucilaginous and spiritous parts disposed to acescency from the slightest exciting causes. Even in some of the strongest and most perfect wines, such as Sherry and Madeira, when long kept in bottle, this deposit may be perceived; but the completeness of their fermentation, and the alcohol in which they abound, ensure them from any farther change. With most light wines, however, the case is different. Their feebleness will not admit of the separation of any portion of their tartar, without risking their total ruin: but in Rhine wines, not even the evaporation, which is occasioned by long keeping in the wood, is sufficient to derange the affinities. The proportion of alcohol, indeed, is very sensibly diminished, and the wine becomes more acid than before; but the acidity is still very distinct from that of vinegar, and by no means ungrateful to the palate; while the colour is heightened from a pale yellow to a bright amber hue, and the peculiar aroma and flavour are more fully developed; thus shewing, that no other changes have taken place, than the dispersion of part of the spirit, and the concentration of the remaining liquor.

"As these wines are capable of almost indefinite duration, and as their flavour and aroma are always improved by long keeping, it becomes of essential importance to determine the respective characters of the different vintages, for a more extended pe riod than is necessary in the case of most other wines. In favourable seasons, as already observed, the growths of the Rhine are free from acidity; but, in bad seasons, they contain an excess of malic acid, and are consequently liable to those imperfections which have been described as attendant on the presence of that ingredient; and as the moisture of a northern autumn often obliges the grower to gather his grapes before they have attained their full maturity, it is evident that a large proportion of the vintages must be of this description. Hence the wines which have been made in warm and dry years, such as that of 1811, or the year of the comet, as it is sometimes called

8

are always in great demand, and fetch exorbitant prices. Of preceding vintages, those of 1802, 1800, 1783, 1779, 1766, 1748, and 1726, are reckoned among the best. That of 1783, in particular, is the most highly esteemed of any in the last century.

"At the head of the Rhinegau wines is the Johannisberger, grown on the south side of the hill of that name, a little below Mentz, which was first planted by the monks of the abbey of Johannisberg, about the end of the eleventh century. The soil is composed of the debris of various coloured stratified marble. The grapes are gathered as late as possible. The choicest produce is called Schoss-Johannisberger, and is indebted for its celebrity to its high flavour and perfume, and the almost total absence of acidity. Formerly the best exposures of the hill were the property of the BISHOP of FULDA, and it was only by favour that a few bottles of the prime vintages could be obtained from his lordship's cellars. On the secularization of the ecclesiastical states, the PRINCE of ORANGE became possessor of the domain; and latterly it has been transferred to PRINCE VON METTERNICH. During these changes, a considerable quantity of the wine has come into the market; but a portion of that which grows at the foot of the hill is always to be had; and even this is preferable in point of flavour to most of the other Rhine wines, and bears a high price.

It is

"Next to Johannisberger may be ranked the produce of the Steinberg vineyard, which belonged to the suppressed monastery of Eberbach, and is now the property of the GRAND DUKE of NASSAU. the strongest of all the Rhine wines, and, in favourable years, has much sweetness and delicacy of flavour. That of 1811 is compared by RITTER to the drier kind of Lunel, and has been sold on the spot as high as five and a half florins, or half a guinea the bottle. The quantity made is about three hundred hogsheads, of which sixty are of first-rate quality. Some persons, however, give the preference to the Rüdesheimer wine, which grows on the hill opposite to Bingen. The rock here is composed of micaceous schist, in many places entirely denuded; and the acclivity is so steep, that it has been necessary to form great part of it into terraces, and to carry up in baskets the requisite quantity of vegetable mould and manure. The Orleans grape is chiefly cultivated, yielding a wine which combines a high flavour with much body, and is freer from acidity than most of the other growths of the Rhine.

This

"Der Rheingauer Weinbau. 8vo. 1765, p. 5.

ber.

may be partly attributed to the favourable exposure, which allows the grapes to ripen fully, and also to the lateness of the vintage, which seldom commences till the end of October, or the beginning of NovemThe Rüdesheim Hinterhauser, so called from its growing immediately behind the houses of the village, and the Rüdesheimer Berg, or Mountain wines, approach in excellence to the first-rate Johannisberger. An ancient deed, by one of the archbishops of Mentz, shews, that the hills in this neighbourhood were not planted with vines till the year 1074.*

"The vineyard of Grafenberg, which was another appanage of the wealthy convent of Eberbach, but of much less extent than the Steinberg, is still distinguished by the choiceness of its growths. Those of Markebrunne, in the same neighbourhood, and of Rothenberg, near Greisenheim, afford wines which are prized for their softness and delicate flavour.

"All the above-mentioned wines are white. Of red wines, the only kind worthy of notice in the Rhinegau is grown at Asmanshausen, a little below Rüdesheim. In good years it is scarcely inferior to some of the better sorts of Burgundy; but the quantity produced is small, and other wines are often substituted under its name.

"The Hochheimer, as before observed, is, strictly speaking, a Mayn wine; but a corruption of its name has long furnished the appellation by which the first growths of the Rhine are usually designated in this country.† The two chief vineyards at Hochheim were in former times the property of the Deans of Mentz, and do not exceed 25 or 30 acres in extent; but the surrounding lands yield an abundant produce, which, as in the case of other wines, often passes for the first rate."

I shall conclude with a few separate observations-I had nearly said maxims-with which the Aberdonian himself winds up his volume. Most of them cannot be too carefully laid up in the mind, nor too diligently acted upon in the cellar of the reader.

"1. Among the brisk wines, those of Champagne, though not the strongest, may be considered as the best; and they are certainly the least noxious, even when drunk in considerable quantity. They intoxicate very speedily, probably in consequence of the carbonic acid gas in which they abound, and the volatile state in which their alcohol is held; and the excitement is of a more lively and agreeable character, and shorter duration, than that which is caused by any

other species of wine, and the subsequent exhaustion less. Hence the moderate use of such wines has been found occasionally to assist the cure of hypochondriacal affections and other nervous diseases, where the application of an active and diffusible stimulus was indicated. They also possess marked diuretic powers. The opinion which prevails, that they are apt to occasion gout, seems to be contradicted by the infrequency of that disorder in the province where they are made; but they are generally admitted to be prejudicial to those habits in which that disorder is already formed, especially if it has originated from addiction to stronger liquors. With respect to this class of wines, however, it is to be observed, that they are too often drunk in a raw state, when, of course, they must prove least wholesome; and that, in conse.. quence of the want of proper cellars, and other causes which accelerate their consumption, they are very rarely kept long enough to attain their perfect maturity. It is also worthy of notice, that, in order to preserve their sweetness, and promote effervescence, the manufacturers of Champagne commonly add to each bottle a portion of syrup, composed of sugar-candy and cream of tartar; the highly frothing kinds receiving the largest quantity. Therefore, contrary to the prevailing opinion, when the wine sparkleth in the glass, and moveth itself aright,' it is most to be avoided, unless the attributes of age 'should countervail all its noxious properties. (I doubt extremely as to some part of this, Doctor.)

"2. The red wines of Burgundy are distinguished by greater spirituosity, and a powerful aroma. Owing, perhaps, to the predominance of the latter principle, they are much more heating than many other wines which contain a larger proportion of alcohol. Though in the time of Louis XIV. they were prescribed in affections of the chest, no physician of the present day would dream of giving them in such cases. The exhilaration, however, which they cause, is more innocent than that resulting from the use of heavier wines. The better sorts may be sometimes administered with advantage in disorders where stimulant and sub-astringent tonics are required. The same observation will apply to the wines of the Rhone, and the lighter red wines of Spain and Portugal.-(Euge, Doctor!)

"3. Possessing less aroma and spirit, but more astringency than the produce of the Burgundy vineyards, the growths of the Bordelais are, perhaps, of all kinds, the safest for daily use; as they rank among the most perfect light wines, and do not excite intoxication so readily as most others. They have, indeed, been condemned by some writers, as productive of gout; but, I apprehend, without much reason. That with those persons who are in the practice

of soaking large quantities of Port and Madeira, an occasional debauch in Claret may bring on a gouty paroxysm, is very possible; but the effect is to be ascribed chiefly to the transition from a strong brandied wine to a lighter beverage,-a transition almost always followed by a greater or less derangement of the digestive organs. Besides, we must recollect, that the liquor which passes under the denomination of Claret is generally a compounded wine. It is, therefore, unfair to impute to the wines of the Bordelais those mischiefs which, if they do arise in the manner alleged, are probably, in most instances, occasioned by the admixture of other vintages of less wholesome quality. (Quite right all this, my dear Doctor.)

"4. The wines of Oporto, which abound in the astringent principle, and derive additional potency from the brandy added to them previously to exportation, may be serviceable in disorders of the elementary canal, where gentle tonics are required. But the gallic acid renders them unfit for weak stomachs; and what astringent virtues they show will be found in greater perfection in the wines of Alicant and Rota, which contain more tannin and less acid. The excitement they induce is of a more sluggish nature than that attending the use of the purer French wines, and does not enliven the fancy in the same degree. As a frequent beverage they are unquestionably much more pernicious. (True again, my good man.)

5. For a long time the vintages of Spain, and particularly the SACKS, properly so called, were preferred to all others for medicinal purposes. The wines of Xerez still recommend themselves by the almost total absence of acidity. (Well said, canny Aberdeen.)

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6. Of all the strong wines, however, those of Madeira, when of good quality, seem the best adapted to invalids; being equally spiritous as Sherry, but possessing a more delicate flavour and aroma, and, though often slightly acidulous, agreeing better with dyspeptic habits. Some have thought them beneficial in cases of atonic gout, probably without much cause; for, whenever a disposition to inflammatory disorders exists, the utility of any sort of fermented liquor is very doubtful. (All this is doubtful, Doctor.)

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7. The lighter wines of the Rhine, and those of the Moselle, are much more refrigerant than any of the preceding, and are frequently prescribed, in the countries where they grow, with a view to their diuretic properties. In certain species of fever, accompanied by a low pulse and great nervous exhaustion, they have been found to possess considerable efficacy, and may certainly be given with more safety than most other kinds; as the proportion of alcohol is small, and its effects are modera

ted by the presence of free acids. They are also said to be of service in diminishing obesity. (Did you ever see the late King of Westphalia, Doctor?)

"8. It is difficult to conjecture on what circumstances the ancients founded their belief in the innocuous qualities of sweet wines, contrasted with the drier and more fully fermented kinds. They may not intoxicate so speedily, and, as they cloy sooner upon the palate, are, perhaps, generally drunk in greater moderation. When new, they are exceedingly apt to disorder the stomach; and, when used too freely, they produce all the same effects as the heavier dry wines. In their more perfect state, they may answer the purpose of agreeable and useful cordials; but, as the excess of saccharine matter retards their stimulant operation, they ought always to be taken in small quantities at a time." (Sweet wines are little to the taste of anything above a Miss, Doctor. I can tolerate one glass of Cyprus, but no more.)

Farewell, then, for the present, to the great historian of Wine. I seriously, and to the exclusion of all puffery and balaam, consider his book as an honour to him—to Aberdeen, which nursed his youth-to Edinburgh, which gave him his well-merited degree-and to London, which has enjoyed the countenance of his manhood and as a great gift to the public at large, destined, I fondly hope, to profit widely and deeply by the diffusion of his studious labours. Two centuries ago, Lord Bacon declared that a good history of wine was among the grand desiderata of litera ture: Such it has ever since continued to be; but proud and consolatory is the reflection, that we are the contemporaries of a Henderson, and that such it can never again be esteemed, unless, indeed, some awful worldshaking revolution shall peradventure pass once more over the races of mankind, and bury the bright and buoyant splendours of Champagne, the balmy glutinous mellow glories of Burgundy, the elastic never-cloying luxury of Claret, the pungent blessedness of Hock, and the rich racy smack

of the mother of Sherry, beneath the same dark and impenetrable shades which now invest the favourite beverages of the prima virorum.

"The Massic, Setine, and renowned Falerne."

It will strike every one as odd, that of this length without once alluding I should have gone through an article to the very existence of-PUNCH. Reader, the fault is not Dr Henderson's-no, nor is it mine. The fact is, that punch-drinking and wine-drinking are two entirely different sciences, and that while, in regard to the latter, Dr Henderson has written a book, and I a review of it in Blackwood, it seems by no manner of means improbable that, as touching the other, we may be destined to exchange these roles-I to compose the history of that most imperial of all fluids, and he, if it so pleases him, to comment upon my labours in the pages of "My Grandmother's review-the British."

My work will probably be rather a shorter one than the Doctor's. Say what we will about the other arts and sciences, it must at least be admitted that there are three things whereon, and appropriately, the moderns do most illustriously vaunt themselves, and whereof the godlike men of Old were utterly ignorant and inexperienced. I allude to gunpowder, the press, and the punchbowl, the three best and most efficient instruments, in so far as my limited faculties enable me to form an opinion, for the destruction of the three worst and most disgusting of our annoyances in this sublunary sphereI mean Duns-Whigs-and Blue Devils: Wishing to which trio everything that is their due, and everything that is stomachic, invigorative, stimu lant, and delightful to yourself, I remain, dear Mr North, your humble and obliged servant, and affectionate friend,

M. ODOHERTY.
Eltrive Lake, July 4th, 1824.