A CUP OF TEA

Evening Star, Issue 19856, 3 May 1928, Page 5

A CUP OF TEA

ORIGIN OF THE BEVERAGE

The subject of what tho_ French call “ le fivj-o’clocker ” lias given rise to much wordy warfare of late, and leading members of the medical profession h_ve taken sides in the controversy between the food faddists and the antifaddists. The former do not cat or drink many things which appeal to the majority, and strict dietarians rule tea out of their list of beverages; but, thong many doctors are not well disposed towards it, few women would care to give up afternoon tea as well as the morning cup. Tea u.... first brought to Europe by the Dutch in 1610, and was introduced into England about 1650. One writer attributes its introduction to “Henry Bennet, Earl of Arlington, at his house in the Mulberry Garden, on the site of the present residence of the King and Queen —via., Buckingham Palace, in the reign of Charles II.,” which is the generally accepted dale. Pepys, who, of course, would be “in the know,” writes in his diary under the date September 26, 1661: “ I sent for a cup of tea, a China drink, of which I have never drunk before.” In those days, of course, the cost was prohibitive to all but the very weal y. It is, however, quite possible that “Good Queen Bess” indulged in, it she did not enjoy, “ a dish ” of the novel beverage. This possibility'—and probability—is shown by this extract from the ‘Tea and Coffee Trades Journal ’ of September, 1925: “ There is a Chinese legend which places the introduction of tea drinking in the reign of the mythological Emperor Chin Nung, about 2737 8.C., but the earliest reliable date is approxi mately a.d. 789. It is recorded that tea was taxed under the Tang dynastyin China in 793 a.p. It was introduced into Japan Jn 805; the Arabians became acquainted with it about 850; Venice knew of it in 1550, the Portuguese in 1558, and the English in 1598.” The earliest known trade advertisement of tea occurs in the ‘ Mercnrius Politicus ’ of September 30, 1658. It ran as follows; “That excellent mid by all physicians approved China Drink called fjy the Chineans Telia, by other Nations Tay, alias Tee, is sold at the Sultaness Head Cophee House.” Here its name is Tcha, whence came Then, then Tee, and finally the word all know to-day, which is a compound of the three.