1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book

FOREWORD.

F everyone knew even a little about the absorbing subject of absorbing alcohol there would be even less Prohibition in the United States of America than there is now. The great mistake is that everyone knows either too litde or too much. Those who know too little either do not admit their lack of knowledge and make an enemy of alcohol by abusing it, or are so terrified of it that they regard it as being something supernatural and satanic and utterly anathema. Those who know too much about it become intolerant of every form of liquid which does not happen to be the one concerning which they consider themselves to be expert. Wine was created for the solace of man, as a slight compensation, we are told, for the creation of woman, who was merely created to keep him on the move and busy generally. In moments of stress and strain wine is man's greatest friend. Once, many years ago, a great and good man, somewhat my senior in age, made a very shrewd and important observation to me. We had been 'discussing the misfortunes of a mutual friend who