Nec _tea_-cum possum vivere, nec sine te. or, in mother tongue-- When failing tea, my soul and body thrive, But failing thee, no longer I survive. The epigram is still more severe:-- If wine be poison, so is Tea--but in another shape-- What matter whether we are kill’d by canister or grape? We still plump for tea. One word before leaving the drink of the Restoration. Some may be curious to inquire the nature of their cups. Pepys, telling of his dining at the Lord Mayor’s banquet, says:-- Plenty of wine of all sorts; but it was very unpleasing that we had no napkins nor change of trenchers, and drunk out of earthen pitchers and wooden dishes (cups). Chaffers remarks that probably pitchers and large pots were usually made of earth and leather, while the cups, or dishes, out of which the liquor was drunk, were of ash; or sometimes, among the more opulent, from cups or tankards of silver:-- His cupboard’s head six earthen pitchers graced, Beneath them was his trusty tankard placed. Dryden’s _Juvenal_. It may be here mentioned that Dryden immensely prided himself on his Bacchanalian song entitled _Alexander’s Feast_. He wrote to his publisher, ‘I am glad to hear from all hands that my ode is esteemed the best of all my poetry.’ Stanza III. is a sufficient specimen:-- The praise of Bacchus then the sweet Musician sung, Of Bacchus ever fair and ever young: The jolly god in triumph comes; Sound the trumpets; beat the drums! Flush’d with a purple grace He shows his honest face. Now give the hautboys breath; he comes, he comes! Bacchus, ever fair and young, Drinking joys did first ordain: Bacchus’ blessings are a treasure, Drinking is the soldiers’ pleasure: Rich the treasure, Sweet the pleasure, Sweet is pleasure after pain. _Legislation._ The Wine Acts of Car. II. were those known as 12 Charles and 22 & 23 Charles. Early in his reign he issued that remarkable proclamation, which could not but reflect on his favourite companions and strongly mark the moral disorders of those depraved times.[163] It is against ‘vicious, debauch’d, and profane persons,’ who are thus described:--