120 / 130
l60
THE MIXICOLOGIST.
j'Oii to caution her on the importance of the office, and
this could not be better effected than by using the words
of the witty Dr. King:
"O Peggy,Peggy, when thou go'st to brew,
Consider well what you're about to do;
Be very wise—very sedately think
That what you're going to make is—drink;
Consider who must drink that drink,and then
What'tis to have the praise of honest men;
Then future ages shali of Peggy tell,
The nymph who spiced the brewages so well."
Respecting the size of the cup no fixed rule can be
laid down, because it must mainly depend upon the
number who have to partake of it; and be it remem
bered that, as cups are not intended to be quaffed ad
libitum, as did Bicias, of whom Cornelius A says—
"To Bicias shee it gave, and sayd,
'Drink of this cup of myne.'
He quickly quafte it, and left not
Oflicoure any sygne,"
let quality prevail over quantity, and try to hit a happy
medium between the cup of Nestor, which was so large
that a young man could not carry it, and the country
half-pint of our own day, which we have heard of as
being so small that a string has to be tied to it to pre
vent it slipping down with the cider.
In order to appreciate the delicacy of a well-com
pounded cup, we would venture to suggest this laconic
rule, "When you drink—think." Many a good bottle
has passed the first round, in the midst of conversation,
without its merits being discovered. For Claret Cup
see page 25.