“Captain Hawkins is said to have brought this root from Santa Fè, in New Spain, A. D. 1565. Sir Walter Rawleigh soon after planted it on his lands in Ireland; but, on eating the apple, that it produced, which is nauseous and unwholesome, he had nearly consigned the whole crop to destruction. Luckily the spade discovered the real potatoe, and the root became rapidly a favourite eatable. It continued, however, for a long time to be thought rather a species of dainty than of provision; nor, till the close of the 18th century, was it supposed capable of guarding the country where it was fostered, from the attacks of famine.” Andrews’s History, Vol. I. p. 408. Comp. Mocquet’s Travels, p. 54. Shakespeare, very early also in this century, mentions this root in the Merry Wives of Windsor, one edition of which, in 4to. was printed in 1619. Vide Scene III. Falstaff. [75] Compare Joh. Ludov. Hannemane de potu calido in Miscell. curios. Simon Paulli de abusu Theæ et Tabaci. Tissot on the diseases of literary and sedentary persons, &c. with Waldsmick in Disput. var. argum. &c. [76] See Percival’s Experimental Essays, p. 119, et seq. wherein many ingenious experiments and observations are related. [77] In this experiment, four ounces of infusion were drawn from two drachms of each kind of Tea, and one grain of sal martis added to the respective infusions. See Neumann’s Chemistry by Lewis, page 377. Short, on the Nature and Properties of Tea, p. 29. The first author I have met with, that tried this experiment, was J. And. Hahn, who wrote in the year 1722. De herbæ exoticæ Theæ infuso, ejusque usu et abusu, Erford, 4to. Though it should be premised, that Nic. de Blegny, who published his work, intituled, _Le bon usage du Thé_, &c. in 1680, takes notice of the astringency of Tea, from which quality he deduces many of its virtues. Vid. Act. Eruditor. V. vi. page 49. Ann. 1688. [78] J. Andr. Hahn takes notice also of the odour of the water distilled from Tea. [79] The same author prepared an extract from this Tea, though in a less proportion than my experiment afforded, or what Neumann relates from his. [80] Theæ infusum, nervo musculove ranæ admotum, vires motrices minuit, perdit. Smith, Tentamen inaugurale de actione musculari. Edinburgh, p. 46. Exper. 36. [81] Two drachms of this odorous water were given to a delicate person. He was soon after affected with a nausea, sickness, general lowness, and debility, which continued for some hours, which he observes usually follows the use of superfine green Tea.