A CUP OF TEA.
What should mainly commend itself to our attention at the tea-table, is
the quality of the infusion. This is the crucial test. If the leaf be
genuine, the proof is ready at hand. If otherwise, the proof is equally
apparent, no matter how skilfully the leaf may be prepared to deceive
the eye. The pleasure of our morning and evening meal is much enhanced
when the infusion is fragrant, lustrous, pleasant to the palate, and
soothing to the nerves. Such covetable results, however, cannot be
realised by those who, influenced by a false and flagrant economy, are
led to purchase so-called “cheap Teas,”--noxious mixtures that in all
probability have already done duty in Chinese tea-pots.
A lady of our acquaintance, while in the act of pouring out the
grateful beverage, recently remarked, half-apologetically: “What a
very poor colour this Tea has! Either it must be uncoloured, or else
the Chinese have not put sufficient colouring matter on the leaf!” To
the inexperienced this remark naturally suggests the observation--“Do
the Chinese really add ‘colouring’ for the purpose of giving a deep
colour to the Tea in the cup?” Be reassured then, gentle reader, and
understand that the terms “coloured” and “uncoloured” are used to
distinguish betwixt that Tea which is painted or faced with mineral
powder, principally Prussian blue and plumbago, and that which is
_pure_, and free from any such prejudicial embellishments. A deep rich
semi-transparent infusion is always obtained from good and pure Tea.
But for this popular error respecting the colour of Tea, I should
scarcely have trenched on the precincts of the Tea-table--that
forbidden ground, where the housewife is universally regarded as the
very model of perfection, and where her power, for the time being, is
admittedly supreme.
The Chinese, whatever may be the character of the nefarious arts to
which they resort to make the best of a bad commodity, can and do
send us supplies of good Tea. But then a fair price must needs be
paid for it. Such consumers of the beverage as are willing to procure
genuine Tea, and not lay out their money upon redried, rerolled, and
“doctored” Tea-leaves, would do well to exercise judgment by selecting
only those descriptions of Tea that have been carefully plucked in
the early spring, when the leaf is small and imbued with the richness
of the shrub-juices. Let but such a commodity be supplied perfectly
uncoloured, and the perfection of human art is attained. When the
foolish fashion of the age required Tea pretty to look at, then the
Chinese, in deference to the public desire, and for the increased
profits of those concerned, coloured or “faced” the leaf.
In conclusion, I may honestly aver that it is owing to the efforts
of Messrs. Horniman that this reprehensible practice is fast falling
into disfavour with the public. The enormous sale of the Firm’s pure
Tea by some 4,000 Chemists, at once testifies to the high approval it
has realised for its combinedly strong, delicious, and invigorating
qualities.
Transcriber’s Notes
Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a
predominant preference was found in the original book; otherwise they
were not changed.
Simple typographical errors were corrected; two unbalanced quotation
marks were found and remedied.
Illustrations without captions are decorative head- and tail-pieces.