But to ſum up the whole, Aqua Vitae and Anniſeed Water, were the Captains or Leaders; and the ſtrong Inclinations of the People run all into thoſe two: And in a little while the latter prevail'd over the former too; and as Anniſeed Water was the only Liquor for ſome Years, the Quantity that was drunk of it, was prodigious great: In a word, it was the Geneva of theſe Times, it was not only ſold in the Chandlers Shops, and in the Barbers Shops, as above; and perhaps in Bulks and Stalls too; but it had this particular Article attending it, (which we are not yet arrived to with the Geneva) viz. That it was cried about Sreets, of which, the Memory of the famous Anniſeed Robin, will be a never-dying Teſtimony; who was ſo well known in Leaden-Hall, and the Stocks-Market for his Liquor, and his broad-brim'dHat, that it became proverbial, when we ſaw a Man's Hat hanging about his Ears, to ſay, he looks like Anniſeed Robin.

This Part, viz. of going about the Streets, and into the Fields, to Shows, and Muſters of the Trained Bands, to cry a Dram of the Bottle, has not been ſo long omitted, but that we can all remember it: And the Bumboats, who continue to this Day, crying a Dream of the Bottle, in the River, among the Ships, are a Remainder of that Cuſtom, and which was never left off at-all.

I ſhould not however have troubled you with theſe Inſtances from Low Life, but that it is in the Scene we are now acting; and this Anniſeed Robin was a magnipotent Fellow in his Day, I aſſure you.

Having thus brought you back to the Dramdrinking Age, I muſt let you ſee how a full Stop was put to it on a ſudden, and what became of the drinking World in the mean time.

As all theſe various ſorts of good Liquor had their Meridian, ſo they had too their Declination, and after ſome time they fell into a general Diſlike: For the French out-did them exceedingly, and pouring in their Liquors at a very cheap rate, and the Goodneſs of the Brandy recommending it ſelf alſo, the famous Anniſeed Water began to loſe Ground, and the People took their Drams in plain Brandy; the Phyſicians alſo, on all Occaſions, telling the People, it was better than any of their compounded Waters.

Thus the beſt Brandy being ſold for 2d. per Quartern, the Poor could have a large Dram for a Half-penny; and the Fellows that cry'd it about the Streets, carry'd with them little double Dram-Cups, which being held up on one ſide was a Penny, and on the other ſide a Half-penny.

This held on for ſeveral Years, and the Cuſtom-houſe Books will ſhew the prodigious Conſumption, till the late Revolution; when a furious and continu'd War the France breaking out, a Prohibition of Trade follow'd, Brandy roſe from 2d. to 6d. per Quartern, and from thence to a Scarcity, ſo that none good was be had. The Diſtillers not being yet come into the way of Diſtilling from Malt, could not ſupply them; and thus the Poor were thrown off from the Dram-Cup to the Alehouſe-Pot, to their great Regret, as well as Expence: For now they could call for nothing leſs than a Pint, which tho for a while it was but a Penny, yet ſoon after, by doubling the Exciſe, came up to three Half-pence, where it ſtill ſtays. And thus I have gone thro' the firſt Part of my Hiſtory.

It remains a Queſtion, which I believe is not yet determin'd, tho I ſee not much Difficulty in it, Whether the Morals of the People were the better or the worſe by this Change? If I may uſe ſo much Freedom, I inſiſt that they are much the worſe: And as my Reaſons for it are of ſome weight in the preſent Debate, I beg you will hear them ſumm'd up as briefly for your Convenience as I can.

1. The Charge was immediately increas'd, and a poor Man that could before be refreſh'd in his Labour, at the ſmall Expence of a Halfpenny, was now oblig'd to ſpend three Halfpence at a time, as often as either Neceſſity or Inclination call'd him.

2. The Expence of Time was immediately alſo encreas'd; for then poor Men in their Stails, or Garrets, or Shops, or wherever they were at their work, could call in, and call up, poor Anniſeed Robin, or any of his Contemporarys or Succeſſors, and take a Dram, without the leaſt Loſs of their Time, and go on with their Work: Or if they were at Day-Labour in the Field or the Street, in the Wet and the Cold, they could call for a Dram for a Penny or a Half-Penny, as their Pockets could afford, and go on with their Buſineſs; whereas upon this Change the Poor were really diſtreſs'd, and they made loud Complaints of it, as I very well remember.

Having thus gone thro' the Hiſtory of what's paſt, and given you ſome Account of the manner of our Drinking till within theſe few Years, allow me to bring it on to our own Times, and view our Poor in the preſent Situation of their great Affair, I mean of Liquor; for what they ſhall drink is (I aſſure you) no matter of mean Concern to them.

The Poor, as above, having been reduc'd to the miſerable Neceſſity of this Alehouſe-Tippling, and grown ſick of the tedious and dull, as well as expenſive way of Drinking, were apparently ripe for a Change, if they could have found any way to their Advantage; when on a ſudden the diligent Dutch, fruitful at Invention, as the Engliſh are at Imitation, (and with their own Advantage at the bottom you may be ſure,) help'd them out again, as they had done once before: for the Dutch Sutlers carry'd into the Camps in Flanders, during the late long Wars againſt France, a certain new diſtill'd Water call'd Geneva, being a good wholeſom Malt Spirit, if rightly prepar'd, wrought up with Juniper-Berries; a Thing not only wholeſom, but really phyſical, and for many Years allow'd to be ſo by the moſt celebrated Phyſicians.

It was ſtrange to obſerve, how this Liquor prevail'd in the Army; how the Soldiers were ſurprized at the Goodneſs of it; the Spirit, the Vigor it put into them: They declar'd publickly to one another, there never was any ſuch Liquor heard of in the World; it put a perfectly new Spirit, and new Life into them; and invigorated them at ſuch a rate, that it made them quite a new kind of People.

At firſt, like the Champaign and Burgundy, it was drank among the Gentlemen only; a Drink for Generals, and for Officers: Nay, they tell us in Holland, that even the great D _… of M _… gave it a Character as a Thing that inſpir'd Nature with a new Flame; and put a ſort of Vigor into the Mind, which Nature itſelf was a Stranger to before; and that he recommended the (moderate) Uſe of it, to the greateſt Men, when they were going at any time to engage the Enemy.

It is a great Miſtake to argue from hence, that the Dutch always made their Soldiers mad with Drink, before they led them out to fight; for what I am ſaying of them now, is of the Generals and Officers, before the Soldiers came to have any fellow-feeling of this Article.

At firſt, no doubt the Dutch made a fine Spirit of it, and as perfect as it was poſſible to be expected: But as the Dutch are hardly to be charged with any Deficiency in needful Craft, and that they ſaw plainly what was good for the High, was alſo good for the Low; and that the poor Soldiers Money was as good to them as the great Generals, if they could but make it out in Quantity; they ſoon came into the old Trading Maxim, viz. that Cheapneſs cauſes Conſumption, and found out a Way to make a Sort of the ſame Spirit, and drawn perhaps from the ſame Ingredients; that being made meaner in Quality, ſhould be proportioned to the Purſe, as well as to the Palate of the common Soldiers.

And thus the Soldiers in the Confederate Camp, came to the honour of Drinking upon a Level with their Officers, or at leaſt, flattering themſelves that they did ſo, which indeed was almoſt the ſame Thing; and if there was any apparent Difference, it was ſuch that neither Officers or Soldiers were nice enough in their Palates to judge of.

It would interrupt our Buſineſs and the main Deſign of this Work, to dwell too long upon the particular Steps and Gradations, by which Geneva gain'd ſo much upon the Minds of the common People; or to enquire into the Reaſons of it: If what I have ſaid, viz. its being thus approved by their general Officers, gave the firſt Occaſion, it is ſufficient to tell you, that by this means the Geneva gain'd a vaſt Credit among the Dutch Troops; from the Dutch, it ſpread univerſally among all the Confederate Armys; and the Engliſh Soldiers became as great Admirers of it, as any other Nation whatſoever; except the mere Dutch themſelves, for they indeed drank it like Mothers-Milk.

But you are to take notice here, that the ſubtle Diſtillers, and particularly the wiſe Merchants of Amſterdam, who had felt the Sweet of the Trade, had conſulted together to bring this Part to ſute with their Intereſt alſo; namely, That the Geneva which they ſent to the Army for the Uſe of the Officers and Gentlemen, (eſpecially General Officers) bore a different Price from that which was open'd for the ordinary uſe of the Army, and for the common Soldiers: Whether it differ'd in Virtue and Value or not, I cannot enter into here; for in ſuch Liquors as theſe, I ſhall not anſwer for it, that what is ſold for the higheſt Price, is always of beſt Quality in proportion: ſometimes, Fancy grounded upon an advanc'd Demand, anſwers to Goodneſs, and makes an Equivalent to the Quality of the Liquor; nor could thoſe litle needful Frauds be always carried on without it: but of that by itſelf.

Let this Part be one way or other, and be the Liquor better or worſe, this is certain, the Price was reduc'd in the common Suttlers-Carriages; and the poor Soldiers had their Gin at a Rate fit for a poor Soldier to pay: And this too betray'd a Secret in the Dutch Commerce, which it has been proper to mention already; and for the ſake of which, this Part has been mention'd here; and is abſolutely neceſſary to ſpeak of, namely, That the Dutch were enabled to bring down the Price of their Geneva, even without reducing the Goodneſs.

I muſt be allow'd to ſay, that it ſeems exceeding hard, that as our Diſtillers were not then come into the Thing, and that Geneva was not known here; they ſhould find themſelves ſo oppreſſed, at their firſt Entrance; and the Dutch ſhould be able not only to make their own Spirits Cent. per Cent. cheapter than we could, but that they ſhall be ſtill able to import them upon us fifty per Cent. cheaper than we can make them, and yet raiſe them from the ſame Materials, namely, from our own Corn.

And here there is ſuch an allow'd Conceſſion made by the whole Legiſlature of Great Britain, to one of the Articles ſumm'd up in the firſt Part of this Work, namely, of the vaſt Advantage the conſuming of Corn is to the Landed Intereſt, that I could not but remind the Reader of it; namely, The allowing back all the Duty upon Malt, and 2s. 6d. Bounty-Money upon the exporting it as Barley, which if the Sums drawn back by Certificate, in the Countries of Norfolk and Kent only, are caſt up, will appear ſurpriſing in Value: I ſay, it is a full Conceſſion to our Argument, and nothing but a full Conviction that the exporting it, is infinitely advantageous to Great-Britain, can be a juſtifiable Reaſon for it.

Were the Commons of Great-Britain to have been told when that Law was made, that all or the greateſt Part of the Bounty, whatever Sums were drawn from the Publick by it, would only have two Effects, and both of them pernicious to the Britiſh Commerce in general, and to the Revenue in particular; it is my Opinion they would have conſider'd better of it, before they had paſs'd it into a Law, or have put it in the Power of a voracious Set of Men, to have ruin'd ſo great and riſing a Manufacture, and Branch of our Commerce, at our own Expence.

Were thoſe Bountys taken off for a while, or were they reduc'd a little to a tolerable Degree, the Conſequence would preſently be this, That the Dutch could no more draw a Spirit 50 per Cent. cheaper from our own Materials, than we could, or import it upon us, mixt among French or other Foreign Brandys, ſo much to our Diſadvantage.

What Reaſon can be alledged, why the Dutch ſhould be able to extract a better Spirit from the fame Goods? Nay, it is evident, they do not, and we are aſſur'd they cannot; but they have gotten into a Courſe of uncontrolled K _… ry, and by this they can ſend it over cheaper, and that is ſufficient to all the reſt; for Cheapneſs cauſes Conſumption.

But to return to the Article above: When firſt the Dutch came into this Trade, as I hinted before p. 25. they took their Malt ſo rough, ſo grown, and ſo undreſs'd, that it was frequent for a Score of Engliſh Barley at that time, to hold out 50 to 60 quarters of Malt, at the Exportation; which accordingly magnified the Fraud, and entitled the Exporter to receive back twelve Pound for a Score of Barley; which upon being gaug'd in the Ciſtern, paid to the Crown but 4l. Duty; and ſo again in the Bounty: But they have been pleas'd to be a little leſs barefac'd ſince, and have (thanks to their Modeſty) reduc'd it by a ſlight Dreſſing, as above, to forty Quarters for twenty.

N. B. There is a little Cavil which may be rais'd here; and we doubt not our Oppoſers will think, they have ſome Advantage in it, namely, That the Barley does generally ſwell one in the Score, before the gauging: but we may anſwer that by itſelf.

To what Extremes do we ſee wiſe Men run, upon wrong Information of Things; and yet how little Care do they take to be rightly and better inform'd of the Things they are miſtaken about? It will perhaps be very hard to perſuade Men of common Senſe to believe, that the Dutch can import their Spirits extracted from our Materials, 50 per Cent. cheaper than we can make them; and yet, at the ſame time prove too, that all the ordinary Parts of the Workmanſhip about them, may be performed as cheap in London, as in Amſterdam.

But it muſt be confeſſed, that when they come to be more fully and rightly inform'd of things, and to ſee what a Cheat is put upon the Engliſh Crown, in the Conditions upon which they get their Corn, which are the Materials; the Riddle is expounded preſently, and we cannot ſuppoſe Men to have common Senſe, who will not then open their Eyes to it.

But to come back to theCamp: Our soldiers taſting this Liquor, brought the Deſire, as well as the Fame of it, over with them at the enſuing Peace; and our Diſtillers preparing it as well here, as the Dutch abroad, they ſupply'd the People with it, wrought from our own Corn the Product of our own Land, very much to our Advantage, as has been ſaid already: the Encreaſe of the Demand, afterwards encreasſing the Conſumption of our own Malt, to a very great degree.

It ſeems, Bacchus and the Brewer take Umbrage at this Invaſion: and tho what between the Wine-Brewer, and the Beer-Brewer, they have had the poiſoning Trade to themſelves to long, that one would think they ſhould be ſatiated with the Miſchiefs of it, tho they were not with the Profits, yet it ſeems they do not ſit eaſy under it; tho I am told the Pretence of the Brewing Trade being declined on this Account, is but a Pretence, and no more. It ſeems they could have been content with it in the Apothecarys Shops, and allow'd it among the Materia Medica, to paſs for good Phyſick: but when they found it applied to the defeat of Tippling and Sotting, as above, they reſolv'd againſt it, as fatal and deſtructive to the Health, and Underſtanding; and that as to the Tempers of the People, it was ſafer to be drunk with any thing, rather than Geneva.

It is a poor Foundation to raiſe Clamour upon; viz. To ſingle out the vicious Temper of the Poor, to exclaim againſt; when here is a Vice in our Trade, that wants reforming firſt, and which if an End were put to it, would both do the Crown and the Revenue Juſtice: It would block up the Door to any more Dutch Cheats, (of this kind at leaſt) and put it into our own Power to reform the reſt with more eaſe; and till then, I doubt, it will never be reformed, while we live.

It has been ſuggeſted by ſome, (how weakly, we ſhall ſee preſently) that burdening the Diſtilling Trade in England with new Dutys, will be a Means to cure all the Evils which they acknowledge ſeem to be growing upon us, by the immoderate Uſe or drinking of the Malt Spirits, among the Poor. If theſe Mens Zeal for the Reformation of the People, was no greater than their Knowledge of the true Intereſt of their Country; they would never propoſe a Method which ſhould only ſhut the Door againſt the drinking our own Manufacture, our Spirits diſtill'd at home, and open the Door to a Flux or Tide of the ſame, or worſe Spirits imported from Holland, and ſo bring in Dutch Drunkenneſs among us too: which, by the way, is yet ſomething of a worſe kind than our own, feeding the Intemperance of the People with the ſame or worſe Ingredients; but giving the Dutch the Profit of it, and leaving us nothing but the Poverty and the Crime.

Had not this prepoſterous Notion ſtarted itſelf into the World, juſt when theſe Sheets were in the Preſs, and ſo fair an Opportunity was left to anſwer and expoſe it, this Tract had not ſwell'd to ſuch a bulk: but ſince the Politicks of theſe Gentlemen have taken ſuch a Turn, and this Flight of their Wit has carried them to ſuch a height, I muſt treſpaſs a little on the Patience of the Gentlemen, that ſhall ſee theſe Sheets, to give in a Word or two, upon ſo weighty a Suggeſtion.

All wiſe Crowns, and ours of England in particular, make it a Maxim in their laying Dutys, never by loading their own Product, to encourage Importations from abroad, in prejudice of the ſame Goods manufactur'd at Home. But if it ſhall be prov'd,

1. That burthening the Engliſh Diſtillery, will only ſerve to encreaſe the Advantage of Foreigners, and ruin the Manufacture of Spirits diſtill'd from our own Corn at Home; how will it anſwer the wiſe Maxims of State and of Trade, which we all depend ſo much upon?

2. If it ſhall appear that ſuch a burthening the Manufacture at Home, will but encreaſe the Frauds of Foreigners; and inſtead of detecting the vileſt clandeſtine Commerce in England, and the openneſt and groſſeſt Abuſe of Parliamentary Bounty, with a leſſening to the publick Good, which it was appointed to encreaſe; wherre then will the good End of the Parliament be anſwered; and how well are ſuch People qualified for Politicians?

And if after all it ſhould further appear that the Propoſal itſelf comes from a Quarter where no ſuch ſanative Principles as theſe of preſerving our Trade are to be found; but that it is all from a View to ſeparate and corrupt Ends, tending in themſelves to ſupport the Intereſt of a Set of Men, who carry on a Trade a thouſand times more pernicious to Trade and to the Morals of the People than this: I ſay, if this ſhould be prov'd by it all, then it muſt give a new Turn to our Conceptions about theſe Things themſelves; we muſt run 'em all over again in our Thoughts.

Let us then endeavour to ſtate the Caſe clearly, among us

1. That the Dutch do cheat, and impoſe upon us already, moſt groſly and barefacedly; or rather to put it right, the Exporters of the Malt to Holland, do cheat and impoſe upon us: (for if the Dutch are not the Men, let us not wrong the Devil, but lay the Saddle on the right Horſe.)

2. That by this Cheat, let who will be in it, the Dutch Diſtillers (for we are not talking of the Dutch as a Nation, but as Traders, and eſpecially as Diſtillers) are enabled to buy their Malt for leſs than half the Price which our Engliſh Diſtillers give for it.

3. That by this means they are likewiſe enabled to work their Spirits (whether the Geneva or other Spirits) for we are not now ſpeaking of one ſort more than another, ſo cheap as to ſell them one time with another for at leaſt 50 per Cent. leſs Price, than our Diſtillers can work them for, from the ſame Materials.

4. That by the Advantages, Diſguiſes, and various Kinds of crafty Ways which the Dutch have, for diſpoſing and diſperſing theſe Spirits among our People, under the Names of Foreign Brandys, and by the Aid of Foreign Permits, (for they always find the way to make us the Tools of our own Deluſions) they have an Opportunity to ſell that 50 per Cent. dearer than we do, which they can make 50 per Cent. cheaper.

Let any conſidering Perſon take theſe Things in pieces a little, and examine them ſeparately.

All Errors and Miſtakes of Mankind, are much better and eaſier prevented in Principle, than corrected in Practice; as Fire is eaſier ſuppreſs'd in the Sparks, than in the Flame: The firſt and groſſeſt of all the Miſchiefs that can be complain'd of in the Diſtilling Trade, are founded in this Original Fraud of putting 13l. of the Crown-Money in the Pocket of the Exporters, for every Score of Barley which is malted for their Exportation, whether to Holland or any other Part, and for which they pay 4l. Duty, and no more, or very little more, as has been ſaid.

Let us firſt ſee the Magnitude of this Cheat, and then a little of the Conſequence of it: Suppoſe the Dutch take off an hundred thouſand Quarters of Malt a Year for their Diſtillery; if I under-calculate it, the Gentlemen can make an Allowance for that, upon all their own Eſtimations; and I doubt not but I ſpeak much below the Quantity: But, I ſay, ſuppoſe the Dutch take off for the Uſe of their Diſtilling Trade, one hundred thouſand Quarters of Malt from England every Year;   l. s. d. This ought by the Malt Debentures to draw back after the rate of 4s. Sterling per Quarter, which is in the whole 20000 00 00 And for the Bounty allow'd by Act of Parliament, on the Exportation of it as Corn, it ought to receive alſo 2s. 6d. per Quarter more, which is upon the whole 12500 00 00 Total 32500 00 00

This Encouragement, were there nothing more in it, is very conſiderable; and gives the Dutch a vaſt Advantage over our Diſtillers here at home, who pay this whole Duty without any Draw-back, Bounty, or other Encouragement whatſoever; except it be, that they alſo pay a heavy Duty upon the Spirits again, after they are diſtill'd; inſtead of which, the Dutch ſending their Spirits hither, by the help of another Fraud ſubſequent to all the reſt, have a Price for theirs ſuperior to ours, and pay no Duty at all; and whatever Duty is paid, we pay it our ſelves, as we are the laſt Conſumers.

But after we have conſidered the heavy Weight of 32500l. upon every hundred thouſand Quarter of Malt, which the Dutch take off, and the Diſadvantages which our Diſtillers lie under upon this account, let us add to it, what is mentioned p. 13. and undeniably made out, namely, That the Dutch, or ſomebody for them, draw off from us juſt two and thirty Thouſand five hundred Pounds Sterling more, upon every hundred Thouſand Quarter of Malt they take off, and which is done by the mere Craft and Fraud of the Exporter, as has been ſaid; which our Offices are ſo ſupinely negligent in, as to paſs upon themſelves for Law; or our Officers ſo well intereſted in as to connive at. I do not pretend to enquire, whether it is Ignorance or Corruption, let the Gentlemen concern'd acquit themſelves of it as well as they can; it is equal to the poor diſcourag'd Diſtillers, whether they are oppreſs'd by one or the other; 'tis manifeſt they are oppreſs'd by it, be it which way it will: 'tis the ſame thing, if my Houſe be fir'd, whether it were done by a Fool-Servant, or a Rogue-Servant; the Houſe is burnt, and I feel the Loſs, let it be done how it will.

Not but that it may come in my way in this Debate, to ſay ſomething of the probable Cauſes, or at leaſt the Encouragements of theſe groſs pieces of Fraud; and how a wiſe Nation, as we are eſteem'd to be, or at leaſt think our ſelves to be, ſhould come to ſhut our Eyes ſo apparently to our own Intereſt, as to lie open to ſuch Cheats as theſe are, and to be ſo abus'd every Day; nay not to ſhut our Eyes to them, but to be abus'd with our Eyes open, (for certainly this can never be ſaid to be a Secret) if it has been practis'd ſo long, and never ſeen before; we muſt have been as unhappy in the Ignorance, as I think we are expos'd in the Fraud of it.

But to return to the Point, about loading the Diſtillers Trade with farther Weight: I would humbly recommend to thoſe Gentlemen who have this Deſign under Conſideration, if any are ſo weak, that they would firſt conſider of unloading it; and then they may put it into a Condition to bear any Hardſhips they ſhall afterwards put upon it, with the greater Eaſe.

Let them unload it from the dead Weight, which theſe clandeſtine Practices are not to the Trade only, but to the whole Nation; for in ſhort, 'tis a Tax levied upon us, to give to a ſet of clandeſtine Traders: whether they are Dutchmen or Engliſhmen, or any Men, where the Malt is ſhip'd for Holland, 'tis the ſame thing, 'tis a National Grievance, and a Burden upon the Trade, which ought to be removed.

All Inequality of Burthens, is a Prejudice to the fair Trader; in the Senſe of which Maxim, it has always been the Care of our Crown by an Equality of Burthens, to give the fair Trader a due Advantage: Hence ſmuggling and clandeſtine Trade, is on ſo many Accounts guarded againſt, and by ſo many Laws made criminal among us, tho ſo impoſſible to be fully prevented.

But here is a Law, which however good in it ſelf, and intended with the ſame juſt View, is unhappily, and by the Craft of a ſet of Foreigners, perverted, the Point of it turn'd upon the fair Traders; and the greateſt clandeſtine Fraud that ever was, (of its kind) practiſed in England, is ſet up by its Authority: So that the Cheat is ſupported by the very Law that was made to prevent it; may, it is founded upon the very Execution of that Law of Equality, on which Juſtice was to have been expected.

Inſtead of an encouraging Draw-back, by which the Conſumption of our Growth was ſuppoſed to be ſecur'd, and in order to which the Exporter to have the Benefit of all; the Duty that was paid being return'd to him, he receives 4l. per Score in one Article more than ever was paid, and 2l. 10s. in another, more than ever was intended.

I have often heard it ſpoken of, with ſome wonder, in England, how it came to paſs, that in ſome particular Places on the Coaſts, the Draw-back upon the Duty on Malt came to more than the Duty it ſelf; as was alledg'd once likewiſe in the Affair of the Salt-Duty, and by which, as I have been told, a groſs Abuſe of the Publick afterwards was detected. Whether it was ſo in the Salt or no, and how it came about, is none of my Buſineſs: But if it be ſo likewiſe in the Malt Draw-back, I believe, upon a due Enquiry into the Reaſon of it, ſome of theſe wicked Things might come to light, and perhaps more than ſome People are aware of.

But to reduce all this to the true End for which all ſuch Complaints ought to be made, namely, the preventing the like; and ſuppoſing it to be detected and prevented, as we hope it may, what are we to enquire next?

The next Queſtion is, How would this reform the Abuſes of the Diſtilling? My Anſwer is direct, in two Heads. 1. You would then have no Abuſes to correct but our own; whereas now all the Corruptions and Adulterations of Foreigners, are put to our home-Account. 2. The Diſtillers then being, as is ſaid, again ſecur'd and form'd into a Body, with due Powers to act by, and ſufficient Encouragement, are able to anſwer for all Abuſes of the Trade, that is, they are able to anſwer that there ſhould be no Abuſes committed, no unwholeſom Liquors diſtilled, or ſold if they were diſtill'd.

This being the Caſe, there would be nothing left for the Crown to be concern'd in, but to prevent if they can, the Intemperance of the People,

Nor would ſuch a Regulation want its Encouragement even in the Nature of the thing; there are many Ways to encreaſe the Revenue, beſides loading Trade with new Taxes. If this particular Branch, clogg'd with Difficulties, and oppreſs'd by Foreigners, Smuglers, and the like, may be ſet free from thoſe Oppreſſions and Weights, giving it room to encreaſe, encreaſes the Revenue of courſe; whereas while it ſinks under thoſe Weights, adding Dutys only ſerves to ſink it deeper, and ſo even leſſens the Revenue which it paid before.

This was the Caſe exactly with the late high Dutys upon Pepper; while thoſe Dutys ſubſiſted, the Revenue was devour'd, I think I may ſay wholly devour'd, by the Draw-backs; and all the Home-Conſumption of Pepper was ſupply'd by clandeſtine Trade, that is to ſay, by Smuglers; whereas thoſe high Duties being again taken off, the Trade return'd into its own Channel, and the Revenue reviv'd which was ſunk before.

Thus if the Diſtilling Trade ſhould be loaded with more Duties, while theſe Frauds on the Foreign Trade ſtill remain unredreſs'd, what muſt be the Caſe but this, namely, The Foreigners would have all the Buſineſs, and the Diſtillers might put out their Fires and ſit ſtill?

But I meet with another popular Objection ſtill, and it ſhews a little from what Quarter all the reſt has come. The Objection is this:

That the Diſtillers pay too ſmall an Exciſe, that they may pay a little higher Duty very well, and that they do not pay an Equality with the Brewer upon a Quarter of Malt.

Now, tho this ſeems a little envious at beſt, ſuppoſing we ſhould grant the Suggeſtion, as if the Brewer was uneaſy that any Malt ſhould be conſum'd but what ſhould pay as great a Duty as that which their own Trade pay; yet as it happens not to be ſo in fact, it expoſes the Objector ſo much the more, and leaves us to gueſs (a little the plainer) whence theſe Clamours at the Diſtillers had at leaſt ſome of their Original. I ſhall enquire into the Particulars preſently, but ſhall name another Objection of ſomething a like nature along with it.

It is alſo ſaid, there is a ſudden and great Decay of the Brewing Trade in London; and this too they would place to the account of the Diſtilling Trade; as if the Diſtillers were riſing upon the Fall of the Brewers; all which are mere groundleſs Jingles of a few deſigning Men, who would deſerve more regard if they ſpoke truth, and as they are miſtaken, deſerve indeed little or none at all.

It is true, we have not room here to give a large and particular Anſwer to all theſe Cavils; for ſuch we hope to prove them to be and no more. But yet we cannot cloſe this Tract without letting them know that we have heard all they have to ſay upon theſe material Heads; which upon the whole, amounts to but very little in Subſtance, tho much perhaps in Noiſe and Pretences. The whole may be briefly anſwer'd in the following Particulars, reſerving a more full and particular Anſwer, as we may hereafter ſee occaſion. But to take them as they lie:

1. It is ſo far from being true, that the Diſtillers pay leſs Duty upon a Quarter of Malt than the Brewer, that 'tis evident they pay more. And not to enter at this time into a Calculation of the Particulars, here not being room for it, this we may undertake to aſſert, namely, That the Diſtillers pay near 12s. per Quarter upon the Malt they uſe, allowing a juſt proportion for its being not dreſt down to the ſame Fineneſs, and conſequently the ſame Meaſure as that of the Brewers.

Whereas on the contrary, the Brewers, the Dreſſing of their Malt being likewiſe conſider'd, do not pay above 8s. to 8s. 6d. on each Quarter.

For let it be conſidered here what is obſerv'd already in its place, and ought to have notice taken of it on all occaſions; namely, that for the Double-Beer, Pale-Ales, Stout, and ſuch like Drinks, which the Brewers now run ſo much upon, and in which they do not draw near ſo great a length from a Quarter as in the ordinary Brewing, they of courſe do not pay ſo much to the Crown for the Exciſe; nay, for theſe Liquors they may be ſaid not to pay ſix Shillings per Quarter on the Malt: whereas the Diſtillers always extracting the utmoſt Spirit the Malt will put forth, and paying as much Duty for the meaneſt Malt as the Brewer does for the beſt, has an infinite Diſadvantage, and pays more for his Malt, by how much the leſs Spirit he extracts from it.

This, as above, will require a more full Explanation, and on occaſion ſuch an Explanation will not be wanting; but in the mean time, thoſe who make the Objection know ſo much of the Truth of it, that they are able to ſave us the Labour, and anſwer themſelves, tho at this time perhaps ſuch generous Treatment may not be for their Intereſt.

I go back then to the firſt Head, namely, That there is a great and ſudden Decay of the Brewing Trade. My Anſwer is,

1. There has been no apparent Decay of the Brewing Trade, one Year with another, for above four Years paſt, to laſt Midſummer; what Decay has been muſt be ſince that time.

2. By conſequence then the great encreaſe of the Conſumption of Spirits in England has not been the Cauſe of the Decay of the ſaid Brewing: for as that Encreaſe has been of three or four Years continuance, why, if it decay'd the Brewing Trade, was it never felt till ſince Midſummer laſt?

3. There has been no proportion'd Advance upon the Diſtillery ſince Midſummer laſt; why then ſhould the Decay of one be occaſion'd by the other, which has not felt the Effect of it? If the Diſtilling had encreas'd in proportion during that time, and that, ſo much more than ever it had done before, then indeed the Water of one Channel being found in the Stream of another, would account for the difference. But as that is not ſo in fact, the Deficiency muſt be from ſome other more apparent Cauſe, and that we ſhall ſee preſently.

The apparent Cauſes of the Decay or ſudden ſtop of the Brewing, ſo far as the Fact may be granted, (for it is not ſo mighty in Fact as in Noiſe) are theſe:

1. The exceſſive Dearneſs of Hops the laſt Seaſon, which was ſo heavy a Rent-Charge upon the Brewer, that it really put a check to their whole Buſineſs; and ſome of them found it hard to furniſh themſelves with a ſuitable Stock upon any Terms whatever: That Difficulty has of courſe cauſed them to leſſen the Quantity of Beer among their Cuſtomers, as much as they could, when they came to lay in their Stores.

2. The Dearneſs of Malt it ſelf, which by the univerſal Badneſs of the Seaſon in all the Malting Counties, has had an effect upon the Malt as well as upon other Grain; this has both leſſen'd the Quantity and advanc'd the Price, ſo that Malt in particular has been 5 to 6s. per Quarter dearer this Year than it was the laſt. Theſe things have been ſo apparent, and here ſo well known to other People as well as to the Brewers themſelves, that 'tis ſomething ſtrange they ſhould lay themſelves open to ſo effectual a Reply.

But this too will appear leſs ſtrange when we ſhall add, that the K _… ery of the Brewers themſelves, to ſay no worſe of it, may have ſome ſhare in the Reaſons for a ſudden Decay of their Trade; eſpecially if it be true that they have come into that bare-fac'd piece of Policy, viz. To ſtrike their Work in order to leſſen the Exciſe, and ſo make a joint Clamour for promoting the Deſign. But of this we may ſay more in its proper Place.

But now, to put in a Word for the Poor, as well as for the Trade, and ſo to cloſe this Diſcourſe; you muſt allow me to ſay, that were it ſo that they had quite forſaken the drinking Beer and Ale, and were wholly come into the drinking of Spirits, Brandy, Geneva, or what you pleaſe; it ſeems to me they have done not only that which their Anceſtors did before them, but even what their Superiors have ſeem'd to lead them into juſt now, by a general Example. As follows.

There has been for ſome Years, and ſtill continues among us. a national Guſt or Inclination to drinking ſtronger and highe pric'd Liquors than formerly; I do not ſay we drink more, or more to Exceſs, that is a Subject of another Nature, and however true, is not to my preſent Purpoſe. But the Stream of the Nation's Palate runs, I ſay, for ſtronger and dearer Liquors. Let me begin at the Head.

The Ladys and Gentlemen of Quality and Diſtinction, not content with the uſual, and as I have ſaid above, moſt wholeſom Dram, call'd right French Brandy, now treat with Ratafia and Citron, at a Guinea a Bottle.

The Punch Drinkers of Quality, (if any ſuch there be) not contented with the beſt French Brandy in their Bowls, muſt have Arrack at 16s. to 18s. per Gallon.

The Wine Drinkers of the better ſort, not content with the Portugal and Barcelona Wines, muſt have high Country Morgeau, O Brian and Hermitage Clarets, at 5s. to 6. per Bottle; and after that Champagn and Burgundy at 7s. to 8s. per Bottle.

The common Draft of Red Wine of Oporto and Viana, tho all ſtronger than the French Wines formerly drank, is not now ſtrong enough for the Citizens; but they muſt be made up (ſo the Wine-Brewers call it) with Lisbons, with Alicants, and Bene-Carloes: and the Oporto and Lisbon Whites, tho very ſtrong, are turn'd out of Doors, for the yet ſtronger Mountain Malaga.

To deſcend ſtill lower: Our common Drinkers of Ale or Beer, are not contented as formerly, with the ordinary Beer and Beer, or Porters Ale; but they are advanced, firſt to Two-penny, then to double-Beer, and Stout; and now to the ſtrongeſt North-Country Burton, and Tamworth Pale Ale; Dorcheſter and Newbury Beers, and the like; of which great Quantitys are brought up by Land Carriage, above 100 Miles, and for which, above 300 ſmall-Brew-houſes, have, as I am told, been erected within theſe few Years, in the City and the adjacent Parts; which Ales are ſold from 6d. to 10d. per Quart.

In like manner then, the Poor following this unhappy Humour of the Rich, and finding themſelves as willing to gratify their Palate, only not equally able to bear the Expence, are fallen into the old Dram-drinking Way, which their Fathers practis'd before them; and which, as it is eaſy to their Pockets, ſpends leſs of their Time; and unleſs they pleaſe, no more prompts their Exceſſes, than the Beer and the Ale did before; and if I may give my Opinion, I think indeed not ſo much. And thus I have brought down the Hiſtory to our preſent Times.

I ſhall cloſe this Tract, which is already ſwell'd to a larger Bulk than was intended, with a few very ſhort Hints at the Diſadvantage which the Diſtillers at preſent are under in the Courſe of their Trade, and which they hope to be deliver'd from, by the Juſtice of the Parliament, and the Encouragements which they have reaſon to hope for and expect.

Some of the Diſadvantages they are under, are as follows.

1. That whereas all the Malt exported to Holland, and from which the Dutch extract the Spirits which they import upon us, draws back the whole Duty, beſides a Bounty of 2s. 6d. per Quarter to the Exporter (not to ſpeak of the Fraud mentioned above, and which doubles both the Draw-back and the Bounty) yet our own diſtill'd Spirit upon Exportation draws back but 4l. 4s. per Tun of the Exciſe paid, and nothing at all of the Malt Duty.

Thus the Dutch are enabled exceedingly to under-work and under-ſell the Engliſh Diſtiller (even by our ſelves) and at the Expence of our own Crown, whom they ſo many ways injure in the ſaid Allowances.

2. That by the Advantages given to the Dutch for the importing Brandy 2s. 6d. per Gallon Duty leſs than the French, which Dutys are alſo paid by the Importers, not by the Dutch, they have an unreſtrain'd Liberty of impoſing their Mixtures upon us, of a baſer Kind; which Mixtures, becauſe they apparently come from abroad, and are called Brandy at the Cuſtom-houſe, our People are eaſily perſuaded to take for true Brandy, whereas it is very well known, that many times it is inferior to our common Malt Spirits, and our Diſtillers affirm, they are able to out-do even the beſt of it.

The Dutch, by the like Artifice, come into our Rivers and Ports, or at leaſt into the open Roads where our Ships ride, as in Yarmouth Roads, the Downs, St. Helens, and even into the River of Thames, up to the Nore and the Hope, and there ſupply our outward-bound Ships with their Spirits, or Brandys (as they call them) not only for the ſaid Ship's uſe, but alſo in Quantities for Trade; for all which no Entry is made, or any Duty at all paid: So that our Guinea and Eaſt-India Ships in particular, which uſed to take in large Quantities of Liquors of our Diſtillers, go away now with little or no Stores, depending to be ſupply'd by the Dutch in the Downs and other Places.

Theſe are all great Obſtructions to the Diſtilling Trade; and as they are withal great Abuſes upon the fair Traders in general, and injurious to the Crown in particular, we cannot doubt, but if fairly repreſented, the Diſtillers ſhall have ſuch Relief, as in right and juſtice they ought to expect.

Beſides theſe apparent Diſcouragements in favour of Foreigners, and in favour of clandeſtine Trade, they are unjuſtly attack'd with Clamours and popular Pretences, as if their Trade was a publick Nuſance, and ought to be regulated by the Magiſtrates; ſuggeſting, that their Liquors are unwholeſom, and deſtructive, Incentives to Vice, and tempting to the Poor, to the Waſte of their Health, Money, Time and Underſtandings; Things which tho not worth replying to, their apparent Partiality being ſufficiently already expoſed, and as all the Exceſſes of the People, either in theſe Liquors or any other are founded in their own Intemperance; the Diſtillers ſay, if they may obtain ſuch Powers and juſt Authority, which as a Company they once had, and ſtill ought to have, and which other Companys in Caſes leſs eſſential to the Health of the People now have, ſo as they may be able to inſpect and regulate the Trade as it ought to be regulated, they would anſwer to the World for the Wholeſomneſs of the Liquors they extract, and appeal to the Underſtanding and Senſe of the moſt experienc'd Phyſicians, if unprejudic'd.

As for the learned and worthy Phyſician, who, if Report lyes not, is to be employ'd to ſhow to the World the pernicious Conſequence of drinking Geneva or Malt Spirits, and how many Thouſands it has ſlain, we impatiently wait his elaborate Performance; and to help it forward, only beg he will not omit to prove alſo, the few needful Particulars following. 1. That the Malt Spirits made in England are much more pernicious than thoſe made in Holland and ſent over hither, tho made all from the ſame Materials. 2. That the Liquor call'd Geneva is mortal in it ſelf, and that the Juniper-Berries put into it are Poiſon. 3. That it is the Liquor it ſelf, not the immoderate Uſe or Exceſs of it, that does the Miſchief. 4. That 'tis much better to be drunk with Strong-Beer and Pale-Ales brew'd from Malt, than with Spirits extracted from the ſame Malt, tho it is the Spirit alone in the Beer and Ale that intoxicates. 5. That Drunkenneſs by Ale and Beer, deſtroys no Health, waſtes no Time, ſpends no Money, weakens no Underſtandings; and that it is only the Geneva that does ſuch wicked Things as thoſe. 6. That there are more People drunk with Geneva than with Ale and Beer, and that a poor Man can be drunk for a Half-penny. 7. And laſtly, to clench it all, Let him prove that more People die of drinking Geneva, than die of the Doctor; not failing to tell to the World, where that formidable Geneva Shop ſtands, that has ſlain more Chriſtians than himſelf.