oliciting alms. It is in the
collection of Professor Italico Brass.

Goldoni, in the comedy _The Persian Wife_, gives us a glimpse of coffee
making in the middle of the eighteenth century. He puts these words into
the mouth of Curcuma, the slave:

Here is the coffee, ladies, coffee native of Arabia,
And carried by the caravans into Ispahan.
The coffee of Arabia is certainly always the best.
While putting forth its leaves on one side, upon the other the flowers
appear;
Born of a rich soil, it wishes shade, or but little sun.
Planted every three years is this little tree in the surface of the soil.
The fruit, though truly very small,
Should yet grow large enough to become somewhat green.
Later, when used, it should be freshly ground.
Kept in a warm and dry place and jealously guarded.

* * * * *

But a small quantity is needed to prepare it.
Put in the desired quantity and do not spill it over the fire;
Heat it till the foam rises, then let it subside again away from the fire;
Do this seven times at least, and coffee is made in a moment.

In 1760 there appeared in France _Le Cafe, ou l'Ecossaise, comedie_,
which purported to have been written by a Mr. Hume, an Englishman, and
to have been translated into French. It was in reality the work of
Voltaire, who had brought out another play, _Socrates_, in the same
manner a short time before. _Le Cafe_, was translated into English the
same year under the title _The Coffee House, or Fair Fugitive_. The
title page says the play is written by "Mr. Voltaire" and translated
from the French. It is a comedy in five acts. The principal characters
are: Fabrice, a good-natured man and the keeper of the coffee house;
Constantia, the fair fugitive; Sir William Woodville, a gentleman of
distinction under misfortune; Belmont, in love with Constantia, a man of
fortune and interest; Freeport, a merchant and an epitome of English
manners; Scandal, a sharper; and Lady Alton, in love with Belmont.

_Il Caffe di Campagna_, a play with music by Galuppi, appeared in Italy
in 1762.

Another Italian play, a comedy called _La Caffettiera da Spirito_ was
produced in 1807.

_Hamilton_, a play by Mary P. Hamlin and George Arliss, the latter also
playing the title role, was produced in America by George C. Tyler in
1918. The first-act scene is laid in the Exchange coffee house of
Philadelphia, during the period of Washington's first administration.
Among the char