Tea and Tea Drinking

y's advertisement-Waller's birthday ode-Tea a rarity in country homes-Introduced into the Quaker School

ed by the East India Company early in 1571. Though it may not be possible to fix the exact date, one fact is clear, that it was a costly beverage. Not until 1667 did it find its way into Pepys' own house. "Home," he says, "and there find my wife making of tea, a drink which Mr. Pelling, the potticary, tells her is good for her cold and defluxions." Commenting upon this entry, Charles Knight said, "Mrs. Pepys making her first cup of tea is a subject to be painted. How carefully she metes out the

th, quality, and virtues of the leaf tea, by Thomas Garway, in Exchange Alley, near the Royal

y gather every day, and drying them in the shade or in iron pans, over a gentle fire, till the humidity be exhausted, then put close up in leaden pots, preserve them for their drink tea, which is used at meals and upon all visits and entertainments in private families, and in the palaces of grandees; and it is averred by a padre of Macao, native of Japan, that the best tea ought to be gathered but by virgins, who are destined for this work. The particular virtues are these; it maketh the body active and lusty; it helpeth the head ache, giddiness and heaviness thereof; it removeth the obstructiveness of the spleen; it is very good against the stone and gravel, cleaning the kidneys and ureters, being drank with virgin's honey, instead of sugar; it t

d chocolate, which was a very hearty drink." It was advertised in the public journals. The Mercurius Politicus, of the 30th of September, 1658, sets forth: "That excellent, and by all physicians approved, China drink, called by the Chineans Teha, by other nations Tay, alias Tee, is sold at the 'Sultaness Head' coffee-house, in Sweeting's Rents, by the Royal Exchange, London." It was sold also at "Jonathan's" coffee-house, in Exchange Alley. In her "Bold Strike for a Wife" Mrs. Centlivre laid one of her scenes at "Jonathan's." While the business goes on she makes the coffee boys cry, "Fresh coffee, gentlemen! fresh coffee! Bohea tea, gentlemen!" But the most famous house for tea was Ga

ate of the Tea Trade,' published in 1832, "Charles II. married the Princess Catherine of Portugal, who, it was said, was fond of tea, having been accustomed to it in her own

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and no doubt his poem did much to promote its use among the rich. In Lor

r supper we had tea, which he said was as good as any he had drank in China.

of October, 1710, appears t

in Gracechurch Street. Note.-The best foreign Bohee is worth 30s. a pound; so that what is sold at 20s. or 21s. must either be f

he ladies did not drink so much as their servants, who are reported to have cared more for tea than for ale. In 1755 a visitor from Italy wrote:-"Even the common maid-servants must have their tea twice a day in all the parade of quality; they make it their bargain at first; this very

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f the cakes was an important feature at such gardens: "Mr. Trusler's daughter begs leave to inform the nobility and gentry that she intends to make fruit tarts during the fruit season; and hopes to give equal satisfaction as with the rich cakes and almond cheesecakes. The fruit will always be fresh gathered, having great quantities in the garden; and none but loaf-sugar used, and the finest Epping butter." In one respect the "good old times" were better than these. Gone are the "fruit tarts," the "rich cakes," and the fragrant cup of

original dep?t for the sale of the then scarce and fashionable beverage, tea, stood at the south-west angle of the present premises, on the site of what had been 'Tom's Coffee-house,' directly opposite the 'Grecian.' A peep into the old books of the firm shows that in the reign of Queen Anne tea was sold by the few houses then in the trade at various prices between twenty and thirty shillings per pound, and that ladies of fashion used to flock to Messrs. Tw

form to the new-fashioned beverage of tea and coffee; whenever, therefore, she made her afternoon's visit, her friends presented her with a tankard of ale and a pipe of tobacco. A little before this period a country gentleman had married the daughter of a citizen of London; she had been used to tea, and in compliment to her it was introduced by some of her neighbours; but the usual afternoon's entertainment at gentlemen's houses at that time was wet and dry sweetmeats, different sorts of cake, and gingerbread, apples, or other fruits of the season, and a variety of home-made wines." At that time it was the custom for the apprentices to live with their employers, whose fare was far from liberal; but "somewhat before 1760," remarks Dr. Aikin, "a considerable manufacturer allotted a back parlour with a fire for the use of

of training in force there, and after twelve months' experience he was removed to a private school. For breakfast both boys and girls had porridge poured on bread; for dinner little meat, but plent

rty. The only room in the establishment in which he could receive so large a concourse of guests was the meeting-house. In response to his kind proposal, willing helpers flew to his aid. The room where all were wont to meet for worship, and rarely for any other purpose, was by nimble and willing fingers transformed, in a few days, into a festive hall, whose walls and pillars were draped with evergreen festoons and half concealed by bosky bowers, amidst whose foliage stuffed birds perched and wild animals crouched. Amidst the verdant decorations might also be seen emblazoned the names of great pat

ms part of the dietary at almost every school, and we question whether there is a

wife, to its use morning, noon, and night by all classes. The caricature of Hogarth, in which a lady and gentleman approach in a very dainty manner, each holding an oriental tea-cup of infantile size, implies m

owing the extent of the consumption of this wonderful beverage,

ur social system springs from this unsuspected source. It would show us that our mighty empire in the east, that our maritime superiority, and that our progressive advancement in the arts and the sciences have materially depended upon it. Great indeed are the blessings which have been diffused amongst immense masses of mankind by the cultivation of a shrub whose delicate leaf, passing through a variety of hands, forms an incentive to industry, contributes to

it was consumed by no less than five hundred millions of men, or more than one-third of the whole human race! Excluding China, England appea

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