“Tobacco.”
“Ex fumo dare lucem.”
To the Editor of the Every-Day Book.
Sir,
The use of tobacco, “that stinking weed so much abused to God’s dishonour,” as Stow expresses himself, having become so common, as to be almost “naturalized on English ground;” perhaps a short article on the subject at this seasonable period, may not be unacceptable to the numerous readers of the Every-Day Book. Let me however be understood in the outset.
I do not mean to write a historical—nor yet critical—nor yet a poetical essay on my subject—no! I merely wish to “cull a few leaves” from the “fragrant herb,” and leave them for you to burn, or your readers to cut up, or smoke, at their good pleasure. Dropping all metaphor, the subject is worth attention, and treated with judgment, might be rendered highly interesting. Resigning all pretension however to that quality, I have merely collected a few “passages,” which, I hope, will be considered worthy of a place in your interesting miscellany.
“Commencing our commencement,” says the old French proverb, my medical dictionary, (Hooper’s) has the following under this head:—
“Tobacco. See Nicotiana.”
“Nicotiana. (From M. Nicot, who first brought it into Europe.) Tobacco.”
“1st. The name of a genus of plants in the Linnean system. Class Pentandria; order, Monogynia.”
“2nd. The former pharmacopæial name of the officinal tobacco,” &c. &c.