age. To cite a vast number of examples to prove
this important truth would be superfluous. Amongst the many illustrious
ones I could instance, I shall content myself to mention that of the
Emperor Maximin[6], who, having been declared an enemy to the people of
Rome, by the senate, fell into such a rage and fury, that no other way
could be thought on to bring him back to his natural temper than by
making him drunk.

But let us return to the two principal qualities of wine, which consist
in driving away care and sorrow, and exciting mirth and joy.

A certain French author[7] has a few verses on this subject, which, as
not _mal-apropos_, I shall here insert. Talking of the good qualities of
wine, he says,--

"Tu sais, mon cher Thirsis, qu'il a le privilege
D'etouffer les ennuis dont l'aigreur nous assiege.
Et que cette liqueur chasse de nos esprits,
Tous les facheux pensers dont nous sommes surpris,
C'est ce qui nous oblige a cherir la bouteille."

You know, dear Thirsis, and full well you know,
To wine this privilege we owe,
It stifles all those sad invading cares
Which irksome chagrin ever wears.

This sprightful liquid makes us brisk and gay,
And drives effectually away
Those thoughts vexatious that surprise our soul,
And makes us cherish the full bowl.

Seneca, whom I have mentioned in the foregoing chapter, confirms what
has been said, "Sometimes," says he, "one must go even so far as
drunkenness; not, indeed, that it may drown us, but drown our cares: for
drunkenness washes away care, and moves the very bottom of the soul. And
as it is a sovereign remedy against some distempers, so is it a perfect
cure for heaviness and sorrow. _Nonnunquam usque ad ebrietatem
veniendum, non ut mergat nos, sed ut deprimat curas. Eluit enim curas,
et ab imo animae movet, et ut morbis quibusdam, ita tristitiae
medetur_[8]. On this account certainly it was, Pliny maintained that
Nepenthe, whose virtues Homer so much exaggerates, was nothing in the
world but generous wine.

Horace, in like manner, insists that wine is the only proper expeller of
the most racking cares.

---------------- Neque
Mordaces aliter diffugiunt sollicitudines[9].

Nor otherwise are cank'ring cares remov'd.

And thus advises the sage Plancus to have recourse to this remedy:--

"Sic tu sapiens finire memento
Tristitiam, vitaeque labores
Molli, Plance, mero."[9a]

So, thou, sage Plancus,