promoted by the ceremony. A piece of toasted bread was thrown into a tankard of ale, and toastdrinking followed. The custom grew in favor; men and women were glad of any excuse for indulging the growing appetite, so that finally health-drinking fell into general observance. Healths were drank to form or cement friendships, to bind a bargain, to the honor of those who came and went, to the memory of the departed— though health-drinking to the dead was, indeed, carrying the custom to an absurdity. Under its auspices war w^as declared, and peace ratified, sworn enemies became friends, and friends enemies. Sentiment being thus mingled with drink, the reverence and love expressed were in proportion to the quantity of liquor quafled; this as well as the supposed mark of manliness in being able to stand up under large potations made excessive drinking fashionable. He whose physical strength should longest endure while the mental and moral faculties were undergoing debasement was the best fellow ; but this sad merit is now restricted in its recognition to brainless boys and silly men, -^sop, the slave, waiting at table, marked the effects of excessive wine-drinking in three stages ; first voluptuousness, second, drunkenness, and third, fury.
That liquor-drinking should have been carried to excess in California is not to be wondered at. The temptations were strong. Some who blame as senseless folly this species of suicide may or may not have done better under similar conditions; with different mental, moral, and physical organization and training ■—accidents reflecting no special credit on the possessor— similar to those of the gambler, the thief, the drunkard, the murderer, under like circumstances to theirs, the immaculate man of self-complacency would certainly have been one or all of these. Men cannot long endure a heavy strain upon their faculties without letting down. This letting down may be accomplished by some in one way and by others in another
