That Madeira (if properly matured before) improves in quality by being carried to the East Indies and back, by which Voyage it loses from 8 to 10 Gallons,—or to the West, by which about 5 are wasted[56],—however these round-about manœuvres may tickle the fancy of those folks who cannot relish any thing that is not far-fetched, dear-bought, and hard to be had, and to whom rarity is the “sine qua non” of recommendation—it is one of those inconvenient prejudices, from which common sense preserve us!

The Vulgar objection to New Wine—(by which we mean Wine that has been maturing in Wood two years in Portugal—two in England—and in Bottle more than twelve months), is, that its exhilarating qualities are too abundant, and intoxicate in too small a dose—those “Bons Vivants,” to whom “the Bottle, the Sun of the table,” and who are not in the habit of crying to go home to Bed while they can see it shining,—require Wines weaker than those which are usually imported from Spain and Portugal,—however Port and Sherry may be easily reduced to the standard desired by the long-sitter,—“paululum aceti acetosi,” will give the Acid Goût,—“aqua pura” will subdue their Spirit “ad libitum,”—and produce an imitation of the flavour acquired by Age, extempore—and You can thus very easily make fine fruity nutritious new Wine,—as Light,—and as Old[57],—and as Poor, as you please—and fit it exactly to your customer’s palate, whether “Massa drinky for Drinky,—or drinky for Drunky Massa.”

To ameliorate very new, or very old Wine—mix a bottle of the one with a bottle of the other—or to a bottle of very old Port add a glass or two of good new Claret—to very new, a glass of Sherry.

Of all our Senses,—the Taste, especially for Liquids, is the most sophisticated Slave of Habit—“De gustibus, non est disputandum.”

The Astringent matter, and Alcohol—which render Port Wine the prop of an Englishman’s Heart—are intolerable to the palate of an Italian, or Frenchman.—But a Stomach which has been accustomed to be wound up by the double stimulus of Astringents, and Alcohol also,—will not be content with the latter only,—especially if that be in less quantity—as it is in the Italian and French Wines; which, therefore, for the generality of Englishmen, are insufficiently excitant.

He who has been in the habit of drinking Porter at Dinner,—and Port after—will feel uncomfortable with Home-brewed Ale, and Claret.

Mr. Accum, the chemist, analyzed for the Editor, some Port and Sherry of the finest quality—the Port[58] yielded 20 per cent—and the Sherry 19-25 per cent, of Alcohol of 825 specific gravity—i. e. the strongest Spirit of Wine that can be drawn, full double the strength of Brandy, which seldom has 40 per Cent, and common Gin[59] not more than 30—or 25.

Some people have a notion that if they go to the Docks, they can purchase a Pipe of Wine for twenty pounds less, than they must pay to a regular Wine Merchant—and, moreover, have it neat as imported—as if all Wines of the same Name, were of the same Quality.

Port varies at Oporto in quality and price as much as Porter does in London—it is needless to say how difficult it is to obtain the best Beer at any price—it is quite as difficult to obtain the best Port Wine at Oporto, where the very superior wine is all bought up at a proportionately high price by the agents for the London Wine Merchants.

Brandies and Wines vary in quality quite as much as they do in Price: not less than twenty pounds per Pipe in the country where they are made.