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87
Antiquity
of
Beer.
the
growth
of
the
grape
for
wine.
The
most
cele-
brated
beer
of
the
period
was
the potation
made
at
Pelusium,
a
town
near
the
mouth
of
the
Nile,
about
1,200
years
before
the
Christian
era.
The
Romans,
who
learnt
the
art
of
brewing
from
the
Egyptians,
called
this
drink
by
the
appropriate
name
of
cerevisia,
in
honour
of
Ceres,
the
cele-
brated
agricultural
Queen
of
Sicily,
who
was
after-
wards
deified
as
the
Goddess
of
Plenty.
That
it
was
known
to
the
Greeks,
the writings
of
Xenophon
and
Aristotle
furnish
proof.
It
was
at
an
early
period
the
favourite
potation
of
the
Germans
and
Gauls,
from
whom
it
was
introduced
into
England,
and
to
this
day
it
remains
the
most
popular
beverage
with
the
bulk
of
the
people.
Beer
is
thus
extolled
by
Warton
:
Balm
of
my
cares,
sweet
solace
of
my
toils,
1
Hail!
juice
benignant
!
O’er
the
costly
cups
Of
riot-stirring
wine,
unwholesome
draught
Let
Pride’s
loose
sons
prolong
the
wasteful
night.
My
sober
evening
let
tbe
tankard
bless,
With
toast
embrown’d,
and
fragrant
nutmeg
fraught,
While
the
rich
draught,
with
oft-repeated
w
hiff
s
Tobacco
mild
improves.
Divine
repast
Where
no
crude
surfeit
or
intemperate
joys
Of
lawless
Bacchus
reign
;
but
o’er
my
soul
’
A
calm
Lethean
creeps
;
in
drowsy
trance
Each
thought
subsides,
and
sweet
oblivion
wraps
My
peaceful
brain,
as
if
the
magic
rod