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HISTORY

OF THE

TEMPERANCE

MOVEMENT.

CHAPTER I.

DRINKING AND DRINKING USAGES PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES.

Temperance itself is not a new idea, although organ

izations for its promotion may be somewhat novel. To show that the practice of Temperance prevailed among large bodies of men, we have only to refer to the history of the Nazarites and the Rechabites, as recorded in the Bible. Nor must we forget that in our own land the principle of Abstinence has been individually adopted and practised by some whose names are as household words to us-John Milton, John Locke, Sir Isaac Newton, Dr. Samuel Johnson, and the great prison philanthropist, John Howard, besides others whose names might be mentioned-all tried the practice, and affirmed its advantage in their respective cases. The use of intoxicating

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drinks, however, has been in every way so associated with the custom and habits of the people, that any history of the Temperance Movement would be incomplete without some general reference to the prevalence of drinking usages, and the facilities for obtaining intoxicating liquors previous to the formation of temperance organizations. In this, as in many other particulars, we shall find that the "good old times,” are not such as would commend themselves to us in preference to the present times. It is scarcely possible to identify the England of Queen Victoria with the England of a hundred years ago. Then there was a duel nearly every day, and gambling every night— especially on Sunday. Hospitality was the boast of the day, which, rendered in the language of the present time, meant unmitigated drunkenness. A dinner-party was then always expected to terminate with a considerable number of the guests falling under the table, and the remainder being much too far gone to assist in removing them. Nothing could be done without drink. Mr. John Dunlop, many years ago, published a very curious and valuable collection of about three hundred usages associated with drink in ninety-eight different trades and occupations in the United Kingdom.' Every trade had its own peculiar custom, and the fines and footings, and the amount to be expended on drink, were all regulated by general rules, and obligatory upon all

*

*See Dunlop's Philosophy of Artificial and Compulsory Drinking Usages in Great Britain and Ireland. Sixth Edition. 1839.

who were employed in the establishment. Apprenticeship, anniversary of joining the trade, birthdays, on coming of age, on first speaking to a woman, on change of employment, weddings, christenings, deaths, &c., had all a regular tariff, the amount varying from sixpence to five pounds, which was to be spent in the purchase of intoxicating liquor.

But let us look a little more closely at this subject— for the evil is not one of yesterday, but one of very long standing. Its origin dates far back in our social history. Houses for the sale of intoxicating drink are, indeed, of very ancient date. It appears that the Lydians were the first to open taverns or houses for refreshment; and it is quite evident that the original intention in opening such houses was simply to provide places of rest and refreshment for weary travellers, as the name "licensed victualler" clearly indicates. This idea is confirmed by an Act passed in the reign of James II., which recites that "the ancient, true, and principal use of ale-houses was for the lodging of wayfaring people, and for the supply of the wants of such as were not able, by greater quantities, to make their provisions of victuals, and not for entertainment and harbouring of lewd and idle people, to spend their money and their time in a lewd and drunken manner." After a time, however, the sale of liquors in these houses began to be encouraged, in some countries as a financial speculation and source of emolument to the Government, while in other countries the increased consumption of intoxicating drinks was

looked upon with indifference and as unworthy of legislative interference. As a natural consequence of this, however, the use of these drinks and the appetite of the people for them increased, until at length drunkenness became so prevalent, and its results of such a character, that legal enactments were found inadequate to remove the evil. And this, indeed, has been the universal experience wherever the traffic in intoxicating liquors has been established and protected.

In the reign of Edgar, drinking was so prevalent and carried to such excess, that a law was enacted that no man should drink beyond certain nicks or marks made in the cups for the purpose of limiting their potations.* We need not, however, go so far back in history, but, adverting to a period nearer our own times, we learn that in the reign of Henry III., in 1256, the manufacture of ale had become of such importance, that its price was regulated, and a brewer was allowed to sell two gallons for a penny, if in town, and three or four gallons at the same price in the country.† Houses for the sale of this beverage were first licensed in England by an Act of the 5th and 6th of Edward VI., during which reign taverns were spoken of in an Act of Parliament as having been "newly set uppe in very great noumbre, in back lanes, corners, and suspicious places withyn the cytie of London, and in divers other towns and villages withyn this realme," and which had then become the resort of evil disposed persons,

*Kennet's England, vol. i., p. 91. † Hume, vol. ii., p. 333.

and the cause of "muche evill rule." In the reign of Elizabeth a magnificent feast was given to her by the Earl of Leicester at Kenilworth Castle, at which, in addition to other stores of intoxicating liquors, 365 hogsheads of beer alone were drank. Intemperance at this time, indeed, appears to have been the common vice of the country, and sumptuary laws were made to restrain the excesses of the people. In the time of James I. the power of licensing inns and alehouses was granted by letters patent to certain individuals. And about this time the average yearly quantity of strong beer and ale brewed in England was 4,950,413 barrels. In 1504 ale was sold in England generally at threepence per gallon; and about this time we read of the introduction of the hop; for, according to an old writerHops, reformation, bays, and beer, Came into England all in one year."

The brewing of porter-a drink which chiefly differs from ale and beer by being made with higher-dried malt-commenced about the year 1722. The discovery of it is attributed to a person of the name of Harwood, who, to avoid the trouble of mixing beer, ale, and twopenny-a species of drink then in demand-contrived to brew a liquor which would combine the properties and taste of the three; this he called "Entire," and being much used by porters and other labouring men, it soon began to be called "porter" itself.

Wine was so abundant, that in 1392, when Richard II. was received on some public occasion by the citizens

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