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 of the Royal College of Physicians, the president and twenty-seven fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons, and thirty-four other Edinburgh medical practitioners.

“ We, the undersigned, do hereby declare our conviction that ardent spirits are not to be regarded as a nourishing article of diet ; that the habitual use of them is a principal cause of disease, poverty, and misery in this place, and that the entire disuse of them would powerfully contribute to improve the health and comfort of the community.”

Let the opponents of Temperance Societies come forward boldly before the public, and prove, as they are bound to do by their opposition, the following false and absurd propositions, and I for one will withdraw my name from the list of Temperance Societies and commence drinking spirits once more :—

1 st. Distilled spirits and wine are the same substances in different degrees and strength.

2nd. The danger to a community is not increased, whatever additional strength be communicated to the liquor commonly in use. Small beer is as dangerous a common drink as brandy, and the power of producing a habit is not in the proportion to the strength of the stimulus.

3rd. Because the use of wine is permitted in scripture, therefore it is right and commendable to use daily, or as a common beverage, any other intoxicating substance which shall ever