The Village Ale-house is, or was, the village club, and certainly is a welcome place of rest for the wayfarer. They are always clean, and frequently quaint, although now-a-days it would be hard to find, as Rowlandson did, a turnspit dog on duty. [Illustration] The names of ales are legion; but some are worthy of a passing notice on account of their strength, such as some of the College Ales, those brewed at the birth of an heir—to be drank at his coming of age, Ten Guinea Ale, etc., and there are any quantity of pseudo beers—_i.e._ those not made from malt and hops, China Ale, Radish Ale, ale made from beet or mangel wurzel, and heather beer, which latter is of so great antiquity that its method of manufacture is said to have been lost with the extirpation of the Picts, although some say it was brewed by the Danes. It is probable that the flowers and tops of the heath were used as a substitute for hops, as, previous to the introduction of the latter plant, broom, wormwood and other bitter herbs were used. J. A. [Illustration: _After Rowlandson._] FRANCE: Cerevisia; Double Bière; Adulteration. GERMANY: Mum; Beer Factories; Faust. INDIA: Pachwai, Piworree. JAPAN: Saki; Kæmpfer. RUSSIA: Kvas; Vodki; Pivo. SWEDEN: Spruce. TARTARY: Baksoum. FRANCE. In France beer was originally known as _cervoise_ from the Low Latin _cerevisia_. There are two sorts, white and red; the latter has more hops. When much grain enters into the composition it is called _double bière_. Its qualities vary here as elsewhere, according to the grain employed in its manufacture, the malt, and the fermentation. It has been commonly adulterated with _ledum palustre_ or wild rosemary, a strong narcotic. Allusions to beer are comparatively infrequent in French works. The details of its manufacture, which present no remarkable points of variation, may be found in any French work on brewing. [Illustration: _After A. L. Mayer._] GERMANY.