The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

By Desire is here inserted, the good and bad
Effects of R U M.

AMONG all the good Things with which
this World abounds, there is none can
vie with RUM, either from the Multiplicity
of its Virtues, or the powerfulness of their
Effects. So extensive is the Use of this Ar-
ticle, that it is applied in Diseases dia-
metrically opposite. Other Kinds of Liquor
may be useful, and do not pass entirely un-
noticed; but Rum seems to be a standard.
and answers, not only in the Place of others,
but in many Cases where others fail. Phi-
losphers cannot scrutinize into the Nature
of its Contrast of Excellencies, nor Physici-
ans by all their Skill and Industry, find its
Rival,--Innumerable are the Occasions, on
which this is esteemed of admirable Use.--
When cold, persons drink of it, not more to
gratify a longing Appetite, than to raise ani-
mal Spirits, & drive off their uneasy Feelings.
In direct Opposition to this, when warm, they
have Recourse to the same Remedy: In win-
ter, RUM is of a warming Nature, but in the
spring, it changes its Virtues, and is applied
as an excellent Antidote against the Heat. In
short, Proteus-like, it conforms itself to all
Kinds of Weather, Companies, Seasons and
Occasions. It is like Time;--there is a time
for every Thing, and there is Rum for every
thing: It is at one and the same Time used
by different Persons, for different Ends, and
by the same Persons at different Times, for
different Ends.--At Play it is good, at Work
it is good; it is good alone, or is good in
Company. I have known a Man to ramble
about, all Day, with no other Companion,
than a Pint Bottle of Rum, and with no other
Business than to Drink it. I suppose he was
more contented, than he would have been,
about any other Employment; and better
pleased with his Bottle, than with the most
familiar Friend.

The greater Part of Mankind, have so
strong an Attachment, to this, that it be-
comes the principal Ingredient of their Hap-
piness. It is very droll to observe the Thousand Excuses, they will make, in order to
get a taste at it. Sometimes they will have
the Belly-Ache, sometimes they are Faint,
sometimes they have a Bad-Cold, sometimes
a poor Appetite, sometimes one Thing ails &
sometimes another, but let what will be the
Distemper RUM alone is the remedy. When
Sober, it is used to give Animation, when
Jolly, to express liveliness. But above all,
it is wonderfully useful on Sundays. It is so
noted for being good to keep Sundays with,
that on Saturday Afternoon we may find as
many Bottles to be filled at the Retailers
Store, as we might Men at some uncommon
Treat. On Fast-Days it is applied to revive
drooping Spirits and to prevent the Appe-
tite from suffering through the Time of
Fasting Abstinence. On Festivals, it appears with
contrary Virtues, & instead of lessening the
Appetite, is used to raise it. Other Pecu-
liarities may be found to celebrate this un-
paralleled article; but in general Terms, it
is good for almost every Thing, and it is good
for almost Nothing; every Body seems to
want it, yet No-Body wants it. We can
live with it, or we can live without it. Its
Uses are many, and its Uses are few.

When our Forefathers, first came into this
uncultivated World, strong Drink was scarce-
ly known to them, yet they were for the
most Part, healthy, vigorous and long-lived:-
At this Day, the extravagant use of Liquor
often renders Constitutions feeble, & some-
times ruins them. So that the only Dif-
ference between living with and without
Rum, is, that where there is little Or none,
the People are more hearty and fitter for
Business, than where they have a Plenty.-
However, moderately used, it may often
serve a good Purpose.

Not to confine myself altogether, to its
happy Effects on the human Body, I will
consider how it respects the Interests & com-
mon Concerns of Life. Here I find its
Virtues no less extensive. Some Men make,
others lose Estates by it; indeed, at any
Time, if a Man be burdened with too much
Interest, he may get rid of it, by using this
freely. How often, do we see Buildings
erected, or taken down, High-Ways mend-
ed, sick People relieved, and many other
Kindnesses of this Nature, all brought about,
only for a Drink of Rum? Many pretend
they help, at such Times, from Generosity
and Benevolence; and I doubt not, but
many do. But the most ready Hands in
these Matters generally enquire, not only
whether there be Rum there, but where it
came from, what is its Quality, and what
its Quantity?

It happens bad for Physicians, that Rum
is used for every kind of Medicine; and it
happens well for them, that so many are
hurt by it: tho' the Balance rather turns
against them; for strong Drink does not
immediately fit a Man for the Physician,
but destroys his Constitution gradually.

I might subjoin many more Remarks,
but as it is a matter rather of Curiosity than
Profit, brevity will be the more excusable.