A Counter-Blaste to TobaccoJames I, King of England
History
A Counter-Blaste to Tobacco
James I, King of England
Tobacco
But first these Cures ought not to bee vsed, but where there is neede of
them, the contrarie where of, is daily practised in this generall vse of
_Tobacco_ by all sorts and complexions of people.
And next, I deny the minor of this argument, as I haue already said, in
regard that this _Tobacco_, is not simply of a hot and dry qualitie; but
rather hath a certaine venemous facultie ioyned with the heate thereof,
which makes it haue an Antipathie against nature, as by the hatefull
smell thereof doeth well appeare. For the nose being the proper Organ
and convoy of the sense of smelling to the braines, which are the onely
fountaine of that sense, doeth euer serue vs for an infallible witnesse,
whether that Odour which we smell, be healthfull or hurtfull to the
braine (except when it fals out that the sense it selfe is corrupted
and abused through some infirmitie, and distemper in the braine.) And
that the suffumigation thereof cannot haue a drying qualitie, it needes
no further probation, then that it is a smoake, all smoake and vapour,
being of it selfe humide, as drawing neere to the nature of the ayre,
and easie to be resolued againe into water, whereof there needes no
other proofe but the meteors, which being bred of nothing else but of
the vapours and exhalations sucked vp by the Sunne out of the earth, the
Sea, and waters, yet are the same smoakie vapours turned, and
transformed into Raynes, Snowes, Dewes, hoare Frostes, and such like
waterie Meteors, as by the contrarie the raynie cloudes are often
transformed and euaporated in blustering winds.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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