The "_propino_" of the Greeks, adopted by the Romans, does not signify "I drink to your good health," but "I drink first that you may drink afterwards"--I invite you to drink. In their festivals they drink to celebrate a mistress, not that she might have good health. See in Martial: "_Naevia sex cyathis, septem Justina bibatur_"--"Six cups for Naevia, for Justina seven." The English, who pique themselves upon renewing several ancient customs, drink to the honor of the ladies, which they call toasting, and it is a great subject of dispute among them whether a lady is toastworthy or not--whether she is worthy to be toasted. They drank at Rome for the victories of Augustus, and for the return of his health. Dion Cassius relates that after the battle of Actium the senate decreed that, in their repasts, libations should be made to him in the second service. It was a strange decree. It is more probable that flattery had voluntarily introduced this meanness. Be it as it may, we read in Horace: _Hinc ad vina redit lætus, et alteris_ _Te mensis adhibet Deum,_ _Te multa prece; te prosequitur nero_ _Defuso pateris; et labiis tuum_ _Miscet numen; uti Graecia Castoris_ _Et magni nemore Herculis._ _Longas o utinam, dux bone ferias_ _Praestes Hesperiae; dicimus integro_ _Sicci mane die, dicimus uvidi,_ _Quum sol oceano subest._ To thee he chants the sacred song, To thee the rich libation pours; Thee placed his household gods among, With solemn daily prayer adores; So Castor and great Hercules of old Were with her gods by graceful Greece enrolled. Gracious and good, beneath thy reign May Rome her happy hours employ, And grateful hail thy just domain With pious hymn and festal joy. Thus, with the rising sun we sober pray, Thus, in our wine beneath his setting ray. It is very likely that hence the custom arose among barbarous nations of drinking to the health of their guests, an absurd custom, since we may drink four bottles without doing them the least good. The dictionary of Trévoux tells us that we should not drink to the health of our superiors in their presence. This may be the case in France or Germany, but in England it is a received custom. The distance is not so great from one man to another at London as at Vienna. It is of importance in England to drink to the health of a prince who pretends to the throne; it is to declare yourself his partisan. It has cost more than one Scotchman and Hibernian dear for having drank to the health of the Stuarts.