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 This is an Account of the first Use of Tea, as it is now among the Ladies; but to give a Reason for the Scandal which attends it, must be the next Thing I shall mention.

I have already observ'd to you, that the Animal which gave this Tree its Qualities, was proud and ill-natur'd; and it is very probable, if it could speak, that Defamation would attend such an evil Disposition; and since neither the Animal nor the Tree were endued with Speech, and that the Seeds of Defamation, as we may reasonably suppose, were transmitted from the one to the other, inasmuch as a bad Temper often depends chiefly on the Habit of the Body, it follows, that a Lady must speak for both, since she can do it, lest Nature might be said to intend an Effect, and not produce it, when and where she may. The only Objection of any Moment which this Account is liable to, is, that it is very strange that so remote a Cause should operate so strongly and universally upon Ladies, and not upon Men, who have not yet degenerated into Misses. But to this I answer, that the Delicacy of a Lady's Constitution renders her more capable of being influenc'd by a weak and remote Cause than a Man is; for surely there is a Difference between the Dirt which they are made of, and the Dirt of which the rest of Mankind is form'd, or else they would never take so much upon them. But to return whence I digress'd: I sat with Blmmsl till it was near the Time that I was to meet Fribbigghe at. I was very glad that I was so near my Delivery; for I confess that I was heartily tir'd with playing the Hypocrite so long. I left her, seemingly, as much concerned as she was, and walk'd towards the Park, reflecting on her strange Behaviour and monstrous Credulity: I was surpriz'd to think that I had gain'd her affections so much at the first Visit when others had spent some Lunar Years in their Ad-