I was much pleas'd with the short Caution you gave in one of
your late Papers, on Occasion of a Woman whose sudden Death the
Coroner's Inquest ascrib'd to the violent Effect of strong Drink; and
being my self related in the nearest manner to one, on whom that
Caution seem'd to have some good Effect, I could wish you would
pursue it further, in which perhaps you may oblige others beside me:
For it is now become the Practice of some otherwise discreet Women,
instead of a Draught of Beer and a Toast, or a Hunk of Bread and
Cheese, or a wooden Noggin of good Porridge and Bread, as our good
old English Custom is, or Milk and Bread boiled, or Tea and Bread and
Butter, or Milk-Coffee, &c. they must have their two or three DRAMS
in a Morning; by which, as I believe, their Appetite for wholesome
Food is taken away, and their Minds stupified, so that they have no
longer that prudent Care for their Family, to manage well the
Business of their Station, nor that regard for Reputation, which good
Women ought to have. And tho' they find their Husband's Affairs
every Day going backward thro' their Negligence, and themselves want
Necessaries; tho' there be no Bread in the House, and the Children
almost barefoot this cold Weather, yet, as if Drinking Rum were part
of their Religious Worship, they never fail their constant daily
Sacrifice. It is not long since I was present at the following
Scene.
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