Yes and no. Always in moderation. Do not acquire the habit of drinking. It
is useless; and, after all that is said in favor of it by our mutual
friend, Omar, and others, I can never see that a man is worse off for
never having been drunk, and I am even Puritanical enough to think that he
is better off, and, moreover, he has more self-respect, to say nothing of
the respect of others. Nobody ever loses caste by refusing to drink. It is
a difficult thing to do sometimes; but you know the old adage, that any
man can lead a horse to water, but a hundred cannot make him drink. It is
a pity that men should be inferior to horses in that respect. You will
think that this is becoming a temperance lecture. Perhaps it is; but never
mind, it does not call for total abstinence.