SMOKER'S HAND-BOOK; OR, A DISSUASIVE AGAINST THE USE OF TOBACCO. BY ANTI-FUMO. "You takers of tobacco and strong waters, mark this." B. JONSON. LONDON: HORSELL AND SHIRREFS, 492, OXFORD STREET; AND ALL 1854. Price Three-halfpence. KJ 1679 -+54144, 481-54, 7 2 4 Meƒ HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY GIFT OF ALFRED CLAGHORN POTTER THE SMOKER'S HAND-BOOK. THE desire to read, in these days, is strong and general, if not universal; and this desire will deepen and spread with the advancement of education. And if people will read, others must write; and men do write, in this age, on every subject, from the letter H, and the beard of your face, to the loftiest subject that can occupy the mind and employ the pen of man. Then wonder not, reader, that we write on tobacco. There is nothing novel in our undertaking. Men, honourable and wise, have preceded us in this work, from a king of these realms, and one of the most erudite theologians that has adorned this land, to many of less pretensions. There is no condescension on our part in this effort; indeed, the importance of the subject we wish to discuss, fully justifies our endeavour. Many motives prompt our deed. We have been subject to no small annoyance, and we think some injury, by being involuntarily confined in a close room for hours together, with hard puffers. Then it is painful to contemplate the amount of hard-earned money weekly spent in this dirty narcotic, while bread and other essentials of life and comfort are wanted. The physical and mental injury inflicted through a prodigal use of this article, is a very grave considera tion. This fact should lead every lover of his country to try to stem the tide of smoke that now floats in every wind. There is one other consideration which we will name,-the use of tobacco is on the increase. Government returns prove this. Who does not deplore this, as it will be accompanied with a long train of evils, which will penetrate every branch of society. It would, we presume, be a patriotic and benevolent deed, if some twenty persons, of different talents, in the varied ranks of life, would employ their pens and dot the land with pamphlets or tracts, pointing out the manifold evils attendant on this practice. What has been done on this subject is as nothing, considering the length of time over which it has spread, and our numerous and increasing population. We write principally for the poor, whose privileges of mental culture are few, and whose reading is restricted within a very narrow circle. There are many of these, who, if acquainted with the nature of tobacco, and the consequences of using it, would at once give it up. For the information of such, we shall give a brief history of tobacco and its use. The origin of the term tobacco is much disputed. It is usually allowed to be derived from Tabaca, a province in the island of St. Domingo. Some have thought it was used by the Asiatics at an early period. though Europeans doubtless learned to use it from the savages of America. When Columbus first landed at Cuba, on October 28th, 1492, we are told that some of his men who were sent to explore the country, returned with the information that "by the way they saw many people, who always carried a lighted firebrand to light fire, and perfume themselves with certain herbs, which they carried along with them." This subsequently proved to be the first notice of smoking tobacco. In the year 1559, Hernandez de Toledo introduced the plant into Spain and Portugal. Jean Nicot, (from whom it derived the name Nicotia,) who was at the court of Lisbon, introduced it to Paris, where it was first used in the form of powder by Catherine de Medicis. It then came under the patronage of the Cardinal Santa Croce, the Popish Nuncio, who, returning from his embassy at the Spanish and Portu guese courts, carried the plant to his own country. France and the Papal. States received it with enthusiasm, and used it in the form of snuff. This was before the use of smoking commenced. It is scarcely known who introduced the plant into England: the matter is disputed between Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Drake, though the honour (questionable) is generally given to Raleigh. Camden, in his Elizabeth, says that "Sir F. Drake and his companions, on their return from Virginia in 1585, were the first, as far as he knew, who introduced the Indian plant called tobacco into England, having been taught by the Indians to use it as a remedy against indigestion." But tradition, and several anecdotes of an amusing character, connect its introduction with Raleigh. Who has not heard that when Sir Walter's servant, who was carrying a pail of water, saw his master smoking, and supposing him to be on fire, or afraid of spontaneous combustion, cast the water upon him. Smoking began with the wealthy, and from them descended to the lower ranks of society. This is generally the case. Vices begin high, and descend, either from the facility with which vice contaminates, or from love of imitation. Tradition asserts that Sir Walter used to sit at his door in Friday-street, parish of St. Matthew, London, smoking, with Sir Hugh Middleton, his friend; and that the passengers who passed by, inhaling the aromatic flavour of the weed, were induced to become smokers themselves, and thus the custom grew prevalent through the land. So the practice of smoking became popular among the opulent, and, as a natural consequence, prevalent. |