itled 'America Revisited--1851 and 1877,' from the pen
of Martin Tupper, explaining itself. The author introduces his
poetic essay thus:--'Since my former visit to the States
twenty-five years ago, few changes are more remarkable than that in
the drinking habits of the people; formerly it was all for
spirituous liquors, and now it is "Water, water everywhere, and
every drop to drink!" The bars are well-nigh deserted, and the
entrance-halls of most houses are ostentatiously furnished with
plated beakers and goblets ensuring an icy welcome: in fact, not to
be tedious, intemperance has changed front, and excess in water has
taken the place of excess in wine.'" To an Englishman's judgment
the true "part of Hamlet" in a feast is the more generous fluid,
and the greatest luxuries are simply Barmecidal without some
wholesome stimulant to wash them down; accordingly, my too
outspoken honesty protested thus in print against this form of
folly in extremes, and either pleased or offended, as friends or
foes might choose to take it.

"Temperance? Yes! true Temperance, yes!
Moderation in all things, the word is express;
'Nothing too much'--Greek, 'Meden Agan;'
So spake Cleobulus, the Seventh Wise Man;
And the grand 'golden mean' was shrewd Horace's law,
And Solomon's self laid it down for a saw
That 'good overmuch' is a possible fault,
As meat over-salted is worse for the salt;
And Chilo, the Stagyrite, Peter, and Paul,
Enjoin moderation in all things to all;
The law to make better this trial-scene, earth,
And draw out its strongest of wisdom and worth,
By sagely suppressing each evil excess--
In feasting, of course, but in fasting no less--
In drinking--by all means let no one get drunk--
In eating, let none be a gluttonous monk,
But everyone feed as becometh a saint,
With grateful indulging and wholesome restraint,
Not pampering self, as an epicure might,
Nor famishing self, the ascetic's delight.

"But man ever has been, and will be, it seems,
Given up to intemperance, prone to extremes;
The wish of his heart (it has always been such)
Is, give me by all means of all things too much!
In pleasures and honours, in meats, and in drinks,
He craves for the most that his coveting thinks;
To wallow in sensual Lucullus's sty,
Or stand like t