large/7215/natural_history_3_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/naturalhistory3_22_pliny_64kb_31
large/7215/natural_history_3_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/naturalhistory3_22_pliny_64kb
English
7215
Nay, what is even more than this, that we may be enabled to swallow all the more, we have adopted the plan of diminishing its strength by pressing it through69 filters of cloth, and have devised numerous inventions whereby to create an artificial thirst. NAY WHAT IS EVEN MORE THAN THIS THAT WE MAY BE ENABLED TO SWALLOW ALL THE MORE WE HAVE ADOPTED THE PLAN OF DIMINISHING ITS STRENGTH BY PRESSING IT THROUGH FILTERS OF CLOTH AND HAVE DEVISED NUMEROUS INVENTIONS WHEREBY TO CREATE AN ARTIFICIAL THIRST
on that they absorb57 the smoke. In Campania they ex- pose the very finest wines in casks in the open air, it being the- opinion that it tends to improve the wine if it is exposed to the action of the sun and moon, the rain and the winds. CHAP. 28. (22.) DRUNKENNESS. If any one will take the trouble duly to consider the matter, he will find that upon no one subject is the industry of man kept more constantly on the alert than upon the making of wine ; as if Nature had not given us water as a beverage, the one, in fact, of which all other animals make use. We, on the other hand, even go so far as to make our very beasts of burden drink58 wine : so vast are our efforts, so vast our labours, and so boundless the cost which we thus lavish upon a liquid which deprives man of his reason and drives him to frenzy and to the commission of a thousand crimes ! So great, how- ever, are its attractions, that a great part of mankind are of opinion that there is nothing else in life worth living for. NTO THEM FROM A NOTION THAT THEY ABSORB THE SMOKE IN CAMPAIGNIA THEY EXPOSE THE VERY FINEST WINES IN CASKS IN THE OPEN AIR IT BEING THE OPINION THAT IT TENDS TO IMPROVE THE WINE IF IT IS EXPOSED TO THE ACTION OF THE SUN AND MOON THE RAIN AND THE WINDS CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT DRUNKENNESS IF ANY ONE WILL TAKE THE TROUBLE DULY TO CONSIDER THE MATTER HE WILL FIND THAT UPON NO ONE SUBJECT IS THE INDUSTRY OF MAN KEPT MORE CONSTANTLY ON THE ALERT THAN UPON THE MAKING OF WINE AS IF NATURE HAD NOT GIVEN US WATER AS A BEVERAGE THE ONE IN FACT OF WHICH ALL THE OTHER ANIMALS MAKE USE WE ON THE OTHER HAND EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO MAKE OUR VERY BEASTS OF BIRD AND DRINK WINE SO VAST ARE OUR EFFORTS SO VAST OUR LABOURS AND SO BOUNDLESS THE COST WHICH WE THUS LAVISH UPON A LIQUID WHICH DEPRIVES MAN OF HIS REASON AND DRIVES HIM TO FRENZY AND TO THE COMMISSION OF A THOUSAND CRIMES SO GREAT HOWEVER ARE ITS ATTRACTIONS THAT A GREAT PART OF MANKIND ARE OF OPINION THAT THERE IS NOTHING ELSE IN LIFE WORTH LIVING FOR
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