the Greek philosopher had wine in view, when he caused
an inscription to be made over his door in these words, in capitals,
"Here are remedies for all sorts of afflictions: here are cures for all
distempers of the soul."

The philosopher so often quoted by Seneca, desired no more than bread
and cheese, to rival Jupiter in happiness. For my part, though I am no
less a philosopher, yet I desire nothing to effect this but good wine.
For when I take a hearty glass, I find myself so much transported with
joy, that I could almost cry out with that little fool in the Latin
comedy[10], "Now could I pardon any one that would kill me, so much
afraid am I lest some accident may trouble the purity of my happiness,
and mingle some ungrateful bitter with the exquisite sweets I now
enjoy." And, indeed, it is amongst bottles and glasses that one may
truly say,

-------- "Mediis videat discumbere in astris,
Cum Jove, et Iliaca porrectum sumere dextra
Immortale merum[11]."

Far from the earth remov'd in realms above,
I seem amongst the stars to sit with Jove:
Lolling in ease celestial, lie supine,
And taste from Ganymede immortal wine.

And without doubt Asclepiades had all this in his head, when he
maintained that the gods produced nothing that equalled wine in
goodness. Philostratus is much of the same sentiment, who after having
taken notice of the edict of the Emperor Domitian, who forbad men to be
castrated, and vines to be planted, he adds, that this admirable emperor
did not reflect that he made the earth in some sort an eunuch, at the
same time that he spared men.

Varro sounded the praise of drunkenness in terms no less pathetic.

"Vino nil quicquam jucundius eluet,
Hoc continet coagulum convivii;
Hoc hilaritatis dulce seminarium
Hoc aegritudinem ad medendam invenerunt."[11a]

Than wine no orient jewels finer play,
And dart more pleasantly their glittering ray.
This vital juice, the cream of all the feast,
Strong cement, close uniting every breast,
The sweet prolific seed of gay desires,
Bright mirth, and gen'rous amity inspires.
This was found out a certain remedy
To set mankind from all distempers free.

Monsieur La Motte, whom I must ever admire for his inimitable Court
Fables, before mentioned, will furnish us with a beautiful ode to close
this chapter[12].

"Bacchus contre moi tout conspire,
Viens me consoler de mes maux:
Je vois au mepri