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DRINKING USAGES OF SCOTLAND.

To the above playful criticism of one who knew what he was writing about, we may add, in reference to the coarseness and strength of port wine, that nothing can be more inconceivably ludicrous than to witness a divan of British port drinkers sitting around, and solemnly delivering their opinion of the almost Tartarean nectar which they gravely sip, as if they were deciding the most important question in the world: and all the while they and their whole nation are justly considered, from their use of brandied wines, as fairly incapable of detecting the transcendent flavour and hidden delicacies of genuine wine; and are known and designated as thus unqualified by continental dealers and real judges, who doubtless laugh in their sleeve; while the worthy Britons enjoy an ambrosia, which Pinkerton, perhaps rather unceremoniously, calls a wine fit for hogs.

DRINKING USAGES OF IRELAND.

109

CHAPTER VIII.

IRISH ARTIFICIAL AND COMPULSORY DRINKING USAGES.

Necessity of these forming part of Temperance InvestigationObscurity of the Subject, and general Ignorance regarding it— Irish Investigation-Usages of Carpenters-Cabinet-makers.

We shall now proceed to some examination of the state of drinking usage in Ireland. I may, however, be permitted to premise, that not in Ireland only, but in all parts of the United Kingdom, I have met, even among friends of temperance, at every point, with an unaccountable disinclination to enter upon any investigation on this subject, and still greater unwillingness to proceed to active operations, even after the necessity of such procedure had been proved and admitted. But although up till nearly the present time the friends of temperance did not generally see ground for assuming that the difference of our artificial state of society from that of the United States of America, made a variation in the rules and conduct of Temperance Societies necessary in order to adapt them for British operation and use; I find from my notes that the subject of our peculiar usages, and the

necessity of applying remedies in this special direction, were always present in my mind as necessary and proper to constitute part of the regulations and agency of British societies for suppressing intemperance. I take the liberty of quoting a passage in my first Essay on the subject, published in 1829.* "Much of the inebriation that prevails, commences in the course of certain etiquettes, courtesies, and signs of hospitality, which are considered as quite imperative. Although courtesy and hospitality ought not to be violated, yet the outward expression of these, in certain cases, can and ought to be changed." I remember also that when in 1829 I was asked by some partial friends to proceed from Scotland to England to lecture on the subject of Temperance Association there, I declined, upon the ground of ignorance of the drinking usages and modes of inebriation in South Britain; because I conceived that little benefit could result from operations that had no reference to peculiarities of British modes and manners in this matter. Although, however, it is only very lately, and after years of friendly strife, that my coadjutors in the temperance reformation have acceded to my views on this subject, I must do the founders of the Glasgow and Edinburgh Societies the justice to say, that in 1829 and 1830, they, at my request, suspended the final adjustment of the regulations of the respective associations for a number of weeks, in order, if possible, to get all

*Extent and Remedy of National Intemperance. Glasgow,

1829. P. 19.

the incipient members to join against the British wine courtesies, although in this they were not successful. My universal experience in the three kingdoms, in every city, town, village, or district, which I have investigated, has been, that it was at first denied to be possible that any system of drinking usage could exist there to any extent whatever, worth inquiring after. Much of the difficulty of investigation in the search for professional usages, arose from applying in the first instance to employers and individuals in the upper classes, who are generally quite ignorant of the facts connected with the subject among their workmen; and still more with the energy and power of the usages on national intemperance. At the same time, I for some years found it difficult to get access to operatives for examination, unless through the medium of their employers; and on various occasions, although this may seem strange, I have been cautioned by well-wishers not to be seen prying among factories and workshops, for fear of personal danger to myself, if it were supposed I was attempting to restrain the enjoyments of the operative classes; but especially in certain places, not to be seen in conversation with particular workmen, as this might assuredly be a matter of very dangerous consequence to them. The late progress of Teetotalism has, however, greatly assisted both my usage inquiries, and anti-usage operations. I shall, however, reserve what has occurred to me as necessary to be said on the connexion of drinking usage and Teetotalism, to a later part of this

Essay. In 1831 I had some correspondence and conversation with the foremost leader* in the ranks of the Temperance reformation in Ireland, on the subject of the Irish usages, who, with his characteristic benevolence and zeal, made some investigations at that time, and transmitted the results to

me.

These formed part of a tract I published in that year on the Wine System of Great Britain. In 1837, however, I had an opportunity of passing some time in Ireland on this subject, and with the generous assistance of Dr. Edgar, and other temperance friends, made an investigation, of which the following is the result.

My readers, in the course of consideration of this subject, will by this time be prepared to acquiesce in one division that may be made, viz.: first, usages connected with the workshop, with handicrafts, and with general business; and second, domestic usages, or those that shadow forth the courtesy and complaisance of social life.

First, we shall begin with the consideration of some of the former class.

Carpenters. In the North of Ireland some of the drinking usages of this class of artificers are as follows. Although the habit of taking a dose of whisky in going to work, technically called a

morning," be not in general compulsory, yet it is rendered somewhat of this character, when the custom of treating in reference to the morning dram has obtained in any workshop. A. treats B.

• Rev. John Edgar, D.D.