THE BAKER & TAYLOR COMPANY
33-37 EAST 17TH ST., UNION SQ. NORTH
COPYRIGHT, 1903, BY
THE BAKER & TAYLOR COMPANY
_Published, October, 1903_
The Crow Press, N.H.
Thou soft, thou sober, sage, and venerable liquid! Thou
innocent pretence for bringing the wicked of both sexes
together in the morning! Thou female tongue-running,
smile-soothing, heart-opening, wink-tipping cordial
to whose glorious insipidity I owe the happiest
moments of my life.
--COLLEY CIBBER.
_INTRODUCING THE LITTLE TEA BOOK_
After all, tea is _the_ drink! Domestically and socially it is the
beverage of the world. There may be those who will come forward
with _their_ figures to prove that other fruits of the soil--
agriculturally and commercially--are more important. Perhaps
they are right when quoting statistics. But what other product
can compare with tea in the high regard in which it has always
been held by writers whose standing in literature, and recognized
good taste in other walks, cannot be questioned?
A glance through this book will show that the spirit of the tea
beverage is one of peace, comfort, and refinement. As these
qualities are all associated with the ways of women, it is to them,
therefore--the real rulers of the world--that tea owes its prestige
and vogue.
Further peeps through these pages prove this to be true; for
nearly all the allusions and references to the beverage, by male
writers, reveal the womanly influence that tea imparts. But this
is not all. The side-lights of history, customs, manners, and
modes of living which tea plays in the life of all nations will be
found entertaining and instructive. Linked with the fine
feminine atmosphere which pervades the drinking of the beverage
everywhere, a leaf which can combine so much deserves, at least,
a little human hearing for its long list of virtues; for its
peaceful walks, talks, tales, tattle, frills, and fancies which
go to make up this tribute to "the cup that cheers but not
inebriates."
_THE ORIGIN OF TEA_
Darma, third son of Koyuwo, King of India, a religions high
priest from Siaka (the author of that Eastern paganism about a
thousand years before the Christian era), coming to China, to
teach the way of happiness, lived a most austere life, passing his
days in continual mortification, and retiring by night to
solitudes, in which he fed only upon the leaves of trees and
other vegetable productions. After several years passed in this
manner, in fasting and watching, it happened that, contrary to
his vows, the pious Darma fell asleep! When he awoke, he was
so much enraged at himself, that, to prevent the offence to his
vows for the future, he got rid of his eyelids and placed them on
the ground. On the following day, returning to his accustomed
devotions, he beheld, with amazement, springing up from his
eyelids, two small shrubs of an unusual appearance, such as he
had never before seen, and of whose qualities he was, of course,
entirely ignorant. The saint, however, not being wholly devoid
of curiosity--or, perhaps, being unusually hungry--was prompted
to eat of the leaves, and immediately felt within him a wonderful
elevation of mind, and a vehement desire of divine contemplation,
with which he acquainted his disciples, who were eager to
follow the example of their instructor, and they readily
received into common use the fragrant plant which has been
the theme of so many poetical and literary pens in succeeding ages.
[Illustration of Dr. Johnson's chair]
_TEA_