1903 The Flowing Bowl by Edward Spencer

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THE FLOWING BOWL

the foundations for much of the trouble at this end of the century. Still there be doctors who actually recommend port wine as a gout-fuge. And it is certainly safer to drink a little good port — matured in the wood, and innocent of beeswing—an you be a podagric subject, than some ofthe clarets which, thanks to the enterprise of the late Mr. W. E. Gladstone, are within the reach of the slenderest purse. Do not smoke whilst drinking claret, or port, either. Nothing destroys the flavour of red wine so effectually as the flavour of a cigar. One of the greatest " sells " ever experienced by an expectant party of claret judges—ofwhom I posed as one—was after this fashion. Our host had inherited a pipe of Chateau Lafitte '64, which had been duly bottled off. We had enjoyed a nice plain little dinner — a bit of crimped cod, a steak, and a bird—in order the better to taste the luscious wine. After dinner bottle number one made its appearance ; and as they sipped, and prepared to sing hymns of praise, the jaws of the guests fell. And a great cry uprose ; " Pricked ! "