That decrying of _Drams_ may not be thought the Fancy of
whimsical particular Men, who love Singularity, and to talk against
every thing that is in Fashion; see the united Wisdom of the British
Nation, King, Lords, and Commons in Parliament assembled, condemning
that Practice, in the Act made in 1729, for restraining it. The
Preamble is worth transcribing. _Whereas the Drinking of Spirits and
strong Waters is become very common amongst the People of Inferior
Rank, and the constant Use thereof tends greatly to the Destruction
of th eir Healths, enervating them, and rendring them unfit for
useful Labour, intoxicating them, and debauching their Morals, and
leading them into all manner of Vices and Wickedness, the Prevention
whereof would be of the greatest publick Good and Benefit,_ &c. 'Tis
pity that Act had not fully its desired Effect.
I might cite the Opinions of our most famous Physicians, who
are universally against the Practice we are speaking of: but I have
not Room, and can only at present give a Paragraph or two from Dr.
_Allen's Synopsis of Physick_, lately published with considerable
Applause. In his Chapter of _POISONS_, having treated of mineral,
vegetable, and animal _Poisons_, he concludes with this.
DISTILLED POISONS.
`There is yet another Family of Poisons, to wit, _Vinous
Spirits_ and _distilled intoxicating Liquors_; for the too frequent
and plentiful devouring of these (as the ill Custom obtains) hath
killed as many Thousands of Men as there are Stars in the Skie; nay,
ten times ten hundred Thousands have died by these, more than by all
the rest of Poisons whatever, which is not in the least to be doubted
of; wherefore I usually call this pernicious Mischief, by way
excellence, THE HARM, whether in jest or earnest I need not say.
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