iege of Troy, the Greeks, in council, did eat
and drink heartily. An evident proof, that this objection is contrary to
experience. But to go farther, this same experience made the ancients
look on those who could carry a great deal of wine, as persons of a
genius very much superior to those who could not drink at all. On this
account it was, that Cyrus, in writing to the Lacedemonians the reasons
which rendered him more capable of government than his brother, amongst
other things, takes notice, that he could drink more wine than he. And
so many fine productions, for which we are obliged to the drunkenness of
the poets, make it evidently appear, that wine, far from rendering us
incapable of doing any thing that is good, rather helps and incites us
to it. This important truth we shall confirm by several examples.

Plutarch relates, that Philip king of Macedon, after having conquered
the Athenians, made a feast, at which he got drunk; and that all proud
with that happy success, he nevertheless did a great many things
entirely ridiculous; but being informed that the ambassadors that the
Athenians sent to him to desire peace, wished to see him, he changed his
countenance all of a sudden, and having heard their proposals with all
possible attention, answered them with a great deal of justice.

The emperor Bonosus, who Amelian said was born not to live, but to
drink, acted always with greater prudence after drinking, says Flavius
Vopiscus, after Onesimus[1].

We have taken notice, in the foregoing chapter, that L. Piso, governor
of Rome, though he was often drunk, acquitted himself, notwithstanding,
punctually of his duty.

Christiern[2], the fourth king of Denmark, drank like a templer, and
never king was more laborious, a greater lover of his subjects, or more
beloved by them.

Scaliger[3] says, that a German has as much reason when he is drunk,
as when he has drank nothing. _Non minus sapit Germanus ebrius quam
sobrius._

Montaigne[4] speaks in his Essays, of a great lord of his time, who,
though he drank every day a prodigious quantity of wine, was,
nevertheless, equally careful in his affairs. According to which, that
which Cicero says is not generally true, viz. "That one must never
expect prudence from a man that is always drunk." _Nec enim ab homine
nunquam sobrio postulanda prudentia_[5].

Another proof that drunkenness does not render us incapable of doing any
thing that is good, is, that it inspires people w