1892 Drinks of the world

Alternate puffs and drinks — Geneva lays That thirst the weed is wont in her to raise. With this her belly propped, its pain expels ; Intestine wind no more her stomach swells ;

A freer blood runs leaping through her frame, New heat, new strength recalls the ancient game. And should you hear she's dead, the cause you'll know Was that Geneva in her jug ran low." In th^ DunciadyVjhich. Pope wrote in 1726 (book iii., * A second see,, by meeker manners known, And modest as the maid that sips alone From the strong fate of drams if thou get free, Another D'Urfey, Ward ! shall sing in thee ! Thee shall each ale-house^ thee each gill-house ^ mournj And answering gin-shops sourer sighs return." An early allusion to Geneva is in a poem by Alexander Blunt, Distiller, 8vo, 1729, price 6^., called *' Geneva," addressed to the Right Honourable Sir R — ' — W . It commences, I. 143), we read,

Thy virtues, yet unsung By ancient or by modern bard, the muse In verse sublime shall celebrate. And thou O W — — - statesman most profound ! vouchsafe To lend a gracious ear :: for fame reports That thou with zeal assiduous dost attempt Superior to Canary or Champaigne Geneva salutiferous to enhance ; To rescue it from hand of porter vile, And basket woman,, and to the bouffet O Geneva !

*'

* Of the word gill-house a Fecer>t editor of Pope observes that it is doubtful whether it is to be understood as a house where gill, or beer impregnated with ground-ivy, was sold, or whether as an inferiof Uvernj where beer was sold by the measure known as a gilk