4 / 248
I I
4
THE FLOWING BOWL
the sorrow and care which may be temporarily
driven away by drowning them in the bowl are
apt to return within a very few hours, reinforced
an hundredfold, with their weapons re-sharpened
their instruments of torture put in thorough
working-order, and with many other devils worse
than themselves. A man, sound in body and
mind, may really enjoy a certain amount of good
liquor without feeling any ill effects next morn
ing ; but woe to him who seeks to drown that
which cannot sink ; to crush the worm which
knows not death! The individual has yet to be
born who can flourish, either in body or soul
on his own immoderation ; and but for a chronic
state of thirst in early youth I should not now
be reduced to the compilation of drink statistics
for a living.
But the ancients, in their heathen philosophy
—which, by the way, was once recommended to
Christians to follow—took no thought for the
morrow. " Carpe diem !" was the head and
front of the programme of the Roman patricians
who used to cry aloud at their feasts, by wav nf
grace before meat :—
Amici,
Dum Vivimus
ViVAMUS !
This was probably the original version of " We
won't go home till morning," and was sung, or
shouted, at all bean-feasts and smart supper-
parties. The ancient Egyptians made use of a
very extraordinary, and a very nasty, custom in
their festivals. They shewed to every guest a