A Treatise on Tobacco, Tea, Coffee, and ChocolatePaulli, Simon
History
A Treatise on Tobacco, Tea, Coffee, and Chocolate
Paulli, Simon
Chocolate -- Early works to 1800; Coffee -- Early works to 1800; Tea -- Early works to 1800; Tobacco -- Early works to 1800
I could heartily wish, that all the practical Physicians in _Europe_
would concur to giving a Sanction to this Doctrine by their Practice;
for, besides the Testimonies of _Trigautius_ and _Rhodius_, I am
certain from Experience, that the _Cha_ is the _Rhus Coriaria_, or a
certain Species of it, whose Qualities and Marks are known from what
has been already said. I do not, in the least, doubt, but the _Cha_ of
the _Tartars_, or the _Thee_ of the _Chinese_, is our _Chamelæagnus_,
or _Pliny_'s Herb _Rhus_; especially since _Clusius_, in _Auctar.
Exoticor. Libror_. expresly asserts, that from the Cuts of some
_Chinese_ Books, which _Pavius_ and _Joseph Scaliger_ received in a
Present from some _East India_ Merchants, though coarsely engraved,
he perceived that many _Chinese_ Plants are exactly similar to some
of those produced in _Europe_. This Circumstance renders it highly
probable, that _China_ which borders upon _Tartary_, produces our
_Chamelæagnus_. I am heartily sorry, however, that I have not had an
Opportunity of conversing with _Martinius_ on this Subject, since,
according to _Galen_, in _Lib. de Compos. Med. Cap. 3._ reading an
Author's Works, is not so satisfactory, as a personal Conversation with
him. However, as I have only followed Reason, and the Course of my own
Thoughts, I hope I shall have no Cause to repent my Labour; since,
according to _Cornelius Tacitus_, in _Annal. 15._ many Things are
obtained by Experiments and Efforts, which, to the lazy and sluggish
Part of Mankind, seemed highly difficult, if not impossible. Thus
the _Romans_, by Bravery and Activity, raised their originally petty
State, to a most extensive and powerful Empire. _Columbus_ discovered
_America_ by Reading and making Efforts for that Purpose. _Copernicus_,
and _Ticho Brahe_, by their extensive Acquaintance with Mathematics,
discovered and demonstrated many important Things, unknown to our
Forefathers. The illustrious _Hoffman_, in _Paralcip. Officinal_,
when giving a noble Scope to his Imagination, in the Investigation
of Mineral Waters, tells us, that the advancing probable Things, is
an Advantage to the Cause of Truth, and was always looked upon as
such by _Plato_, _Aristotle_, _Galen_, and all other Philosophers.
Notwithstanding the incomparable Learning and Industry of _Martinius_,
I cannot comprehend some Things in his Description of _Tea_; for I
cannot conceive why he asserts, that the _Rhus Coriaria_ is not wild,
but cultivated among the _Chinese_; since _Matthiolus_, _Bauhine_, and
_Hoffman_, do not, with _Galen_, make a Distinction between the _Rhus
Coriaria_, and _Culinaria_, which, by _Trigautius_ and _Rhodius_, is
called the _Cha_, or _Thee_; but if _Martinius_ had mentioned the
_Myrtle_, I should have conjectured, that he followed other Botanists,
who exclude the _Myrtus Sylvestris Dioscoridis_, in the Shops known by
the Name _Ruscus_, or _Bruscus_, from the Species of true _Myrtles_.
Thus _Marcellus Virgilius_, in _Comment. in Dioscorid.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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