DEFENDERS OF SMOKING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10085, 21 March 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

DEFENDERS OF SMOKING.

Lately, Professor Masson was tho guest) of the Scottish Arts Club at the Waterloo Rooms, Edinburgh, and tho design on tho menu card depicted the guest of the evening, pipe in hand, being borne off, shoulderhigh, between Shakespero and Milton. Professor Masson, in responding to the toast of his health, did nob know how he would get through his duty on that occasion bub for the splondid support rendered to him by Shakosporo on tho 0110 hand and Milton on the other. "Shakospere, I perceive, is fully sufficient for the occasion. He sees all its originality, all its grace, and porceivoa also the tolerance of tobacco which does nob exist in his vocabulary—in fact, which ho never used himself, so far as we know, though, I boliere, he used it secretly. You see in his physiognomy a combination of all those states of mind which would be called forth had he beheld the present scone. He is tolerant, ho is sly, lie is sympathetic. On the other hand, Milton beholds with a little conception. He, however, did smoke." Touching tho Cameron Loos incident, it is nolod, by the way, that the D.D. has many pood examples for his advico even among his own profession. The Glasgow Herald points out that there is, too, the great Isaac Barrow, who liked a pipe next to a folio of the Greek fathers, and—a still more real person, although fictitious—thoro is Parson Adams smoking his churchwarden by tho inn fireside. The old Puritans also are with Dr. Lees, for the strictest of the Covenanting clergy were much given to smoking, as well as to drinking ale without toasting healths. If the secrets of every house could bo revealed, it would probably be found that tobacco has had a share in inspiring many a sermon. Another stalwart defender of the habit of smoking is the Bishop of Manchester. He has publicly stated that he has found tobacco act a useful part in enabling him to discharge his ministerial duties.' When lie was roughing it in the wilds of Australia be often smoked a pipe with tho " pioneers of civilisation" w(\om ho met there, and ho found that as they sat together, puffing away,' their hearts opened unto one another as they never would have done if there had been no smoke to stir them. "The Moorhouse mixture" was quite a favourite brand in Australia.