An Essay On The Inventions And Customs Of Both Ancients And Moderns In The Use Of Inebriating Liquors

Morewood, Samuel. An Essay on the use of Inebriating Liquors. (2nd Ed) William Curry, Jun. & Company & William Carson: London, 1838.

MOREWOOD, Samuel (1772 - 1851)

A Philosophical and Statistical History of the Inventions and Customs of Ancient and Modern Nations in the Manufacture and Use of Inebriating Liquors; with the present practice of distillation in all its varieties: together with an extensive illustration of the consumption and effects of opium, and other stimulants used in the East, as substitutes for wine and spirits.

Dublin : William Curry, Jun. and Company and William Carson, 1838 (first published 1824). Second, expanded edition, fully revised (with the section relating to the consumption and effects of opium added for the first time).  Printed by William Warren, Dublin.

Octavo (220x140mm) nineteenth century binding, half black morocco, grey linen grain cloth boards, six raised bands, five compartments decorated and ruled in gilt, title lettered in gilt to spine, marbled end-papers, all edges speckled red xii,745,[3 blank]pp;  [A]¹², B-3A¹⁶, 3B-3C⁸. Frontispiece, engravings in the text and charts, drawn by E L Percy and engraved by Caroline Clayton.

Faint wear to corners, boards lightly soiled. Bookbinder's ticket "H Ahier, Bookbinder, 1 Parade, Jersey" to front paste-down.  Occasional faint to light foxing in a few places.

Samuel Morewood was a Collector of Excise in Dublin Ireland. 

Often quoted on the etymology of the term "Rum", and on questions of "Usquebaugh" production in Ireland and Scotland, Morewood's treatise discusses in depth the fermentations and distillations of cultures current and historical around the world.  For example, there is a detailed analysis of Irish and Scottish distillation, alcohol consumption and revenue; an explanation of sake, sochu, and similar national alcoholic drinks throughout Asia, the Pacific, the Americas and Africa; and an examination of liquors throughout Europe (as well as wine and beer).

There is a detailed discussion of alcohol consumption in the colony of New South Wales noting the consequences of alcohol for the local indigenous peoples of Sydney, the beginnings of the Temperance movement in Australia and the economic case for domestic production of alcohol.  Morewood notes Busby's efforts to import vine cuttings, the early history of brewing in Sydney and provides a survey of the literature and legislation on the subject leading up to 1838.

Caroline Millard (née Clayton) (d. 1894), was a successful wood engraver and water-colourist in Dublin.

As Gabler notes "The first edition... was the first publication on this subject in English.  The second edition...is more complete"; greatly expanded from the first edition of 1824 and including sections on opium and other intoxicating drugs around the world.

An exhaustive and fascinating work representing years of research.  Scarce in commerce.  An excellent copy of a work that has been used to formulate and revive ancient and traditional drinks today.

§  Gabler G31320; cf. G31310; Noling 296; Simon BV 8; Simon BG 104;