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NOTES AND QUERIES. [2"* s. N<> 16., APRIL 19. >56.

SONG ON TOBACCO.

(2 nd S.i. 115. 182.258.)

The subjoined version of this song is from The Aviary, or Magazine of British Melody, an ex- tensive collection of words of songs, published (without date) some time in the latter half of the last century. This version must, I imagine, have attained some degree of popularity, as I remember having heard (in my boyhood) a female relation frequently repeat it. The late Samuel Wesley set it to music in three parts in June, 1800. His composition has not, I believe, been published, but a few copies were printed several years ago by the then possessor of the manuscript, for private distribution. The poem in the Gospel Sonnets is included in the collection of Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the English Pea- santry, edited by Mr. J. H. Dixon for the Percy Society in 1846. It is there entitled "Smoking Spiritualized," and is treated by the editor as the production of Erskine. In an introductory notice Mr. Dixon remarks that, "The 'Smoking Spi- ritualized ' is, at the present day, a standard pub- lication with our modern ballad-printers, but their copies are one and alf exceedingly corrupt." I join my hopes to those of J. B. and Y. B. N. J., that a copy of the song quoted in Rob Roy may appear in your pages.

" Tobacco's but an Indian weed,* Grows green at morn, cut down at eve ; It shews our decay, we are but clay. Think on this when you smoak Tobacco.

" The pipe that is so lilly-white, Wherein so many take delight,

Is broke with a touch : Man's life is such. Think on this when you smoak Tobacco.

" The pipe that is so foul within Shews how Man's soul is stain'd with sin, It does require to be purg'd with fire. Think on this when you smoak Tobacco.

" The ashes that are left behind Do serve to put us all in mind

That unto dust we must return [fie]. Think on this when you smoak Tobacco.

" The smoke [ate] that does so high ascend, Shews that Man's life must have an end ; The vapour's gone : Man's life is done. Think on this when you smoak Tobacco."

W. H. HUSK.

" Content and a Pipe. " Contented I sit with my pint and my pipe,

Puffing sorrow and care far away, And surely the brow of grief nothing can wipe,

Like smoking and moist'ning our clay ; For tho' liquor can banish man's reason afar,

'Tis only a fool or a sot,

Who with reason or sense would be ever at war, And don't know when enough he has got.


 * Wesley's copy reads :

" Tobacco is an Indian weed."

For tho' at my simile many may joke, Man is but a pipe and his life but smoke.

" Yes, a man and a pipe are much nearer akin

Than has as yet been understood, For, until with breath they are both filled within,

Pray tell me for what they are good ? They, one and the other, composed are of clay,

And if rightly I fll nature's plan, Take but the breath from them both quite away, The pipe dies and so does the man. For tho', &c.

" Thus I'm told by my pipe that to die is man's lot,

And sooner or later he must ; For when to the end of life's journey he's got, Like a pipe that's smoked out, he is dust ; So you, who would wish in your hearts to be gay,

Encourage not strife, care, or sorrow, Make much of your pipe of tobacco to-day, For you may be smoked out to-morrow. For tho', &c."

I beg to inform your erudite correspondent Y. B. N. J. that Erskine only claims the author- ship of the second part of "Meditations on Smoking," as will be seen by the title which I transcribe from the twelfth edition of Gospel Sonnets, Kilmarnock, 1782 :

" The following Poem, the Second Part of which was wrote by Mr. Erskine, is here inserted, as a proper subject of meditation to smokers of tobacco :

SMOKING SPIRITUALIZED,

In Two Parts ;

The First Part being an old Meditation upon smoking Tobacco ; the Second, a new Addition to it, or Improve- ment of it."

The variations between the reprint from the New- castle Journal and the above copy are very trifling. The third line of the fifth stanza should

\)Q

" That to the dust."

In justice to Erskine, who may be convicted by the Southron of having a false rhyme in the last stanza, I may state that the old Scottish pro- nunciation of "towers" is identical in sound with "yours." A. R. X.

Paisley.

Aubrey, speaking of the fashion of using to- bacco, says :

" They first had silver pipes, but the ordinary sort made use of a walnut-shell and a strawe. I have heard my grandfather say, that one pipe was handed from man to man round the table. Within these 35 years [written about 1680] 'twas scandalous for a divine to take tobacco. It was then sold for its wayte in silver. I have heard some of our old yeomen neighbours say, that when they went to market they culled out their biggest shillings to lay in the scales against the tobacco ; now the customes of it are the greatest His Majestic hath."

R. W. HACKWOOD.