Jove once resolv'd, the females to degrade,
To propagate their sex without their aid;
His brain conceiv'd, and soon the pangs and throes
He felt nor car'd the unnatural birth disclose:
At last when tried no remedy could do,
The god took _snuff_ and out the goddess flew.
JOE MILLER.
Snuff was manufactured and consumed in great quantities in France, long
previous to its adoption in England. For the account of its being
introduced to Great Britain we are indebted to the once celebrated[4]
Charles Lillie.
Before the year 1702, when we sent out a fleet of ships under the command
of Sir George Rook, with land forces commanded by the duke of Ormond, in
order to make a descent on Cadiz, _snuff-taking_ was very rare, and
indeed very little known in England; it being chiefly a luxurious habit
among foreigners residing here, and a few English gentry, who had
travelled abroad. Among these, the mode of taking snuff was with pipes the
size of quills out of small spring boxes. These pipes let out a very small
quantity of snuff, upon the back of the hand, and this was snuffed up the
nostrils with the intention of producing the sensation of sneezing, which
we need not say forms now no part of the design, or rather fashion of
snuff-taking.
But to return to our Cadiz expedition by sea. When the fleet arrived near
Cadiz, our land forces were disembarked at a place called Port St. Mary,
where after some fruitless attempts, it was resolved to embark the troops,
and set sail for England. But previous to this, the port and several
adjacent places were plundered. There, besides some very rich merchandize,
plate, jewels, pictures, and a great quantity of cochineal, several
thousand barrels and casks of fine snuffs were taken, which had been
manufactured in different parts of Spain. Each of these contained four tin
canisters of snuff of the best growth, and of the finest manufacture.
With this plunder on board (which fell chiefly to the share of the land
officers), the fleet was returning to England; but on the way, it was
resolved to pay a visit to Vigo, a considerable port in Spain, where the
admiral had advice that a number of galleons from the Havannah richly
laden had put in: here, our fleet got in and destroyed the greater part of
the Spanish shipping, and the plunder was exceedingly rich and valuable.
It now came to the turn of the sea-officers and sailors to be snuff
proprietors and merchants; for at Vigo they again became possessed of
prodigious quantities of gross snuff from the Havannah in bales, bags, and
scrows,[5] which were designed for sale in different parts of Spain.
Thus, though snuff was very little known, as we have here remarked at that
period, the quantities taken in this expedition, which were estimated at
fifty tons weight, plainly show that in the other countries of Europe,
snuff was held in great estimation, and that the taking of it was not at
all unfashionable.
The fleet having returned to England, and most of the ships been put out
of commission, the officers and sailors brought their snuff--called by way
of victorious distinction--"Vigo snuffs," to a very quick and cheap
market: waggon loads being sold at Portsmouth, Plymouth, and Chatham, for
not more than 4_d._ per lb. The purchasers were chiefly Spanish Jews, who
in the present case, bought up almost the whole quantity at considerable
advantage.
The land officers who were possessed of the finer kinds of snuff, taken at
Port St. Mary, had sold considerable portions at the ports where they had
touched on their homeward voyage. Others, however, we are told, better
understood the nature of the commodity which had fallen to their share,
and kept it for several years; selling it off by degrees for very high
prices.
From the above-mentioned quantities of different snuffs, thus distributed
throughout the kingdom, novelty being quickly caught in England, arose the
custom and fashion of snuff-taking; and growing upon the nation by
degrees, they are now as common here, as almost in any other part of
Europe; France alone excepted.
After giving us a somewhat elaborate account of the manufactures of
different Spanish, Havannah and Brazilian snuffs, _Lillie_ proceeds to
describe a snuff he calls '_Inferior Lisbon_,' that singularly enough,
closely approximates to the celebrated Lundy Foot. "This kind," he says
"from the great heat used in drying it, has an agreeable smell, like
high-dried malt, and is often called snuff of the burnt flavour; but the
smell soon goes off on exposure to the air, for which reason, it is
advisable to put no more into the snuff-box than shall be used whilst
fresh." Though we cannot but be aware, from the preceding account, that a
snuff exactly resembling in all its attributes our own famous high-dried,
called Lundyfoot, so named from the nominal inventor, existed; yet the
history of its discovery is of too facetious a description to be omitted
here.
Lundy Foot, the celebrated snuff manufacturer, some six-and-twenty years
ago, had his premises at Essex-bridge in Dublin, where he made the common
scented snuffs then in vogue. In preparing the snuffs, it was usual to dry
them by a kiln at night, which kiln was always left in strict charge of a
man appointed to regulate the heat, and see the snuffs were not spoilt.
The man usually employed in this business, Larey by name, a tight boy of
Cork, chanced to get drunk over the 'cratur', (i. e. a little whiskey)
that he had gotten to comfort him, and quite regardless of his watch, fell
fast asleep, leaving the snuff drying away. Going his usual round in the
morning, Lundy Foot found the kiln still burning, and its guardian lying
snoring with the fatal bottle, now empty, in his right hand. Imagining the
snuff quite spoilt, and giving way to his rage, he instantly began
belabouring the shoulders of the sleeper with the stick he carried.
"Och, be quiet wid ye, what the devil's the matter, master, that ye be
playing that game," shouted the astounded Larey, as he sprung up and
capered about under the influence of the other's walking cane.
"You infernal scoundrel, I'll teach you to get drunk, fall asleep, and
suffer my property to get spoilt," uttered the enraged manufacturer, as
each word was accompanied by a blow across the dancing Mr. Larey's
shoulders.
"Stop! stop! wid ye, now; sure you wouldn't be afther spaking to ye'r ould
sarvant that way,--the snuff's only a little dryer, or so, may be,"
exclaimed 'the boy,' trying to soften matters.
"You big blackguard you, didn't you get drunk and fall asleep?"
interrogated his master, as he suspended his arm for a moment.
"Och by all the saints, that's a good'un now, where can be the harum of
slaaping wid a drop or so; besides--but hould that shilelah--hear a man
spake raison."
Just as Lundy Foot's wrath had in some degree subsided in this serio-comic
scene, and he had given the negligent watcher his nominal discharge, who
should come in but a couple of merchants. They instantly gave him a large
order for the snuffs they were usually in the habit of purchasing, and
requested to have it ready for shipping by the next day. Not having near
so large a quantity at the time by him, in consequence of what had
happened, he related the occurrence to them, at the same time, by way of
illustration, pointing out the trembling Larey, occupied in rubbing his
arms and back, and making all kinds of contortions.
Actuated by curiosity, the visitors requested to look at the snuff,
although Lundy Foot told them, from the time it had been drying, it must
be burnt to a chip. Having taken out the tins, they were observed to emit
a burnt flavour, anything but disagreeable, and on one of the gentlemen
taking a pinch up and putting it to his nose, he pronounced it the best
snuff he had ever tasted. Upon this, the others made a similar trial, and
all agreed that chance had brought it to a degree of perfection before
unknown. Reserving about a third, Lundy Foot sold the rest to his
visitors. The only thing that remained now, was to give it a name: for
this purpose, in a facetious mood, arising from the sudden turn affairs
had taken, the master called his man to him who was lingering near, "Come
here, you Irish blackguard, and tell these gentlemen what you call this
snuff, of your own making."
Larey, who did not want acuteness, and perceived the aspect of things,
affected no trifling degree of sulky indignation, as he replied. "And is
it a name ye'r in want of, Sir? fait I should have thought it was the last
thing you couldn't give; without indeed, you've given all your stock to me
already. You may even call it 'Irish blackguard,' stidd of one Michael
Larey."
'Upon this hint he spake,' and as many a true word is spoken in jest, so
was it christened on the spot. The snuff was sent to England immediately,
and to different places abroad, where it soon became a favorite to so
great a degree, that the proprietor took out a patent and rapidly
accumulated a handsome fortune. Such are the particulars connected with
the discovery of the far-famed Lundy Foot or Irish Blackguard--for which
we are indebted to a member of the Irish bar, who was a resident in Dublin
at the time.
With regard to the numerous varieties of snuffs that exist, we shall say
nothing at present, merely observing that the principal kinds of their
manufacture are under three classes. The first is the granulated, the
second an impalpable powder, and the third the bran, or coarse part,
remaining after sifting the second part.