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DRINKS.
263
in
the
time
of
Good
Queen
Anne
than
our
own.^
"
Thus
they
take
a
sip
of
Tea,
then
for
a
draught
or
two
of
Scandal
to
digest
it,
next
let
it
be
Ratifia,
or
any
other
Favourite
Liquor,
Scandal
must
be
the
after
draught
to
make
it
sit
easie
on
their
•
Stomach,
till
the
half
hour's
past,
and
they
have
disburthen'd
themselves
of
their
Secrets,
and
take
Coach
for
some
other
place,
to
collect
new
matter
for
Defamation."
An
anonymous
poet
of
that
time
sings
thus
of
the
tea
table
:
"
Here
we
see
Scandal,
(for
our
sex
too
base),
Seat
in
dread
Empire
in
the
Female
Race,
'Mong
Beaus
and
Women,
Fans
and
Mechlin
Lace,
*
The
Works
of
Thomas
Brown,
ed.
1708,
vol.
iii.,
p.
86.