1827 Wine and spirit adulterators unmasked

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spectable persons in the trade, although they resort to so expensive a plan, as that of advertising- in the newspapers, and distributing printed bills, &c. But, as ray object in this treatise is as much to expose the adulterations and impositions which are practised with Spirits as well as with Wine, I will commence with a few remarks on the former, and illustrate my position by calculation, whereby the public will be enabled, to see behind the curtain. And here, I wish it to be clearly understood, that, as one professing the feelings and principles of a fair tradesman, and who can conscientiously af- firm that he has been such, and only such,, it is not my intention to bear hard on the whole of any one class of Advertising 1 and Placarding Wine and Spirit Merchants, indiscriminately, for the delin- quency of a part, any further than I am supported by unanswerable facts ; but merely to show, that, such impositions and adulterations do exist, and in what manner, and by whom, they are chiefly prac- tised; to the detriment of the honest trader, and the sacrifice of the health and pockets of those to whom It is, however, a singular fact, that the majority of our Spirit Advertisers and Placarders is com- posed of Gin-shop-keepers ; but, as there is no spi- rit whatever so much adulterated, or with which, {through the medium of cheap prices,) so much de- ception is practised, as with the article of Gin, it may not appear altogether so extraordinary that, * ignorance is bliss.'