A Counter-Blaste to TobaccoJames I, King of England
History
A Counter-Blaste to Tobacco
James I, King of England
Tobacco
The second Argument grounded on a show of reason is, That this filthie
smoake, as well through the heat and strength thereof, as by a naturall
force and qualitie, is able and fit to purge both the head and stomacke
of Rhewmes and distillations, as experience teacheth, by the spitting
and auoyding fleame, immeadiately after the taking of it. But the
fallacie of this Argument may easily appeare, by my late preceding
description of the Meteors. For euen as the smoakie vapours sucked vp by
the Sunne, and staied in the lowest and colde Region of the ayre, are
there contracted into Cloudes and turned into raine and such other
watery Meteors: So this stinking smoake being sucked vp by the Nose, and
imprisoned in the colde and moyst braines, is by their colde and wett
facultie, turned and cast foorth againe in waterie distillations, and so
are you made free and purged of nothing, but that wherewith you wilfully
burdened yourselues: and therefore are you no wiser in taking _Tobacco_
for purging you of distillations, then if for preuenting the Cholike you
would take all kinde of windie meates and drinkes, and for preuenting
the Stone, you would take all kinde of meates and drinkes, that would
breede grauell in the Kidneys, and then when you were forced to auoyde
much winde out of your stomacke, and much grauell in your Vrine, that
you should attribute the thanke thereof to such nourishments as bred
those within you, that behoued either to be expelled by the force of
nature, or you to haue _burst at the broad side_, as the Prouerbe is.
As for the other two reasons founded vpon experience. The first of which
is that the whole people would not haue taken so generall a good liking
thereof, if they had not by experience found it verie soueraigne, and
good for them: For answere thereunto how easily the mindes of any
people, wherewith God hath replenished this world, may be drawen to the
foolish affectation of any noueltie, I leaue it to the discreet
iudgement of any man that is reasonable.
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