Louis John Jennings

“ Scot was unusually fortunate in his own plantation, or the ravages of the fly have become more deadly in our own time. In a single night irremediable mischief is sometimes occasioned by the fly, or “louse,” and the hops hang black, fetid, and rotten on the poles. The cost of cultivating an acre of hops is estimated to be, under the most favourable circumstances, from 22l. to 30l., and the grower asserts that arable land may be brought under cultivation at a sixth of the expense. ”

“ The quack medicines which have brought large fortunes to the lucky inventors in our own day are often exposed and denounced; but there is little doubt that, even in empiricism, we have improved greatly since the days when the intestines of animals and a few herbs were considered to form a sovereign balm for every disorder. ”

“ This is an easy mode of setting broken limbs hitherto untried by the profession. Lastly, the poor man would possibly grow old, and find his strength fail him. In that strait he is told to prepare a decoction of parsley, sage, mace, ginger, and other spices, and drink thereof. ”

“ Most of the great electuaries now advertised are said to possess the negative virtue of doing no harm; the pills may be taken, and the other preparations freely used, without further mischief than may be caused to the patient by the absence of proper medical treatment. ”

“ Pity that the guide did not give the rationale of this proof. In the event of the poor man meeting with a severe fall, he need be under no apprehension for any length of time lest he should have fractured his skull. ”

“ Although, perhaps, there are few such enthusiasts left as this writer must have been, yet the national beverage has not been entirely superseded, even by French wines at 12s. 6d. a dozen. John Barleycorn still has his ardent admirers, and our neighbours across the Channel may try in vain to wean our allegiance from him, and transfer it to their milder potations. ”

“ The poor man, to prevent himself falling But banners stained in war 1 asleep, must take decoction of garlic—an effecin the many conflicts from their birth, tual plan, one would suppose, for banishing the Stained Losing their lustre in the course of time ”

“ The uniform rate is 17s. 71⁄2d. per cwt., while hops of foreign growth are taxed 2l. 5s. per cwt.
The only mention made by Mr. Scot of the great object of dread to the hop-grower is in the following passage:
The hoppe that lykes not his entertaynement, namely, his seate, his grounde, his keeper * * * * commeth up greene and small in stalke, thicke and rough in leaves, very like unto a nettle. ”