A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 1: Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of the Society of FriendsClarkson, Thomas
Religion
A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 1: Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of the Society of Friends
Clarkson, Thomas
Society of Friends
They, who have been much in company, must have had repeated
opportunities of witnessing, that this idea of the Quakers is founded in
truth, men are undoubtedly stimulated to drink more than they like, and
to become intoxicated in consequence of the use of toasts. If a man has
no objection to drink toasts at all, he must drink that which the master
of the house proposes, and it is usual in this case to fill a bumper.
Respect to his host is considered as demanding this. Thus one full glass
is secured to him at the outset. He must also drink a bumper to the
king, another to church and state, and another to the army and navy. He
would, in many companies, be thought hostile to government, if, in the
habit of drinking toasts, he were to refuse to drink these, or to honour
these in the same manner. Thus three additional glasses are entailed
upon him. He must also drink a bumper to his own toast. He would be
thought to dishonour the person, whose health he had given, if he were
to fail in this. Thus a fifth glass is added to his share. He must fill
a little besides to every other toast, or he is considered as deficient
in respect to the person, who has proposed it. Thus many additional
glasses are forced upon him. By this time the wine begins to act, when
new toasts, of a new nature assail his ear, and he is stimulated to new
potions. There are many toasts of so patriotic, and others of so
generous and convivial a nature that a man is looked upon as
disaffected, or as devoid of sentiment, who refuses them. Add to this,
that there is a sort of shame, which the young and generous in
particular feel in being outdone, and in not keeping pace with the rest,
on such occasions. Thus toast being urged after toast, and shame acting
upon shame, a variety of causes conspires at the same moment to drive
him on, till the liquor at length overcomes him and he falls eventually
a victim to its power.
It will be manifest from this account that the laws of drinking, by
which the necessity of drinking a certain number of toasts is enjoined,
by which bumpers are attached to certain classes of toasts, by which a
stigma is affixed to a non-compliance with the terms, by which in fact a
regular system of etiquette is established, cannot but lead, except a
man is uncommonly resolute or particularly on his guard, to
intoxication. We see indeed instances of men drinking glass after glass,
because stimulated in this manner, even against their own inclination,
nay even against the determination they had made before they went into
company, till they have made themselves quite drunk. But had there been
no laws of drinking, or no toasts, we cannot see any reason why the same
persons should not have returned sober to their respective homes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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