He shook
his head, and said, 'Poor stuff! No, Sir, claret is the liquor for boys;
port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero (smiling), must drink
brandy. In the first place, the flavour of brandy is most grateful to
the palate; and then brandy will do soonest for a man what drinking CAN
do for him. There are, indeed, few who are able to drink brandy. That is
a power rather to be wished for than attained. And yet, (proceeded he,)
as in all pleasure hope is a considerable part, I know not but fruition
comes too quick by brandy. Florence wine I think the worst; it is wine
only to the eye; it is wine neither while you are drinking it, nor after
you have drunk it; it neither pleases the taste, nor exhilarates the
spirits.' I reminded him how heartily he and I used to drink wine
together, when we were first acquainted; and how I used to have a
head-ache after sitting up with him. He did not like to have this
recalled, or, perhaps, thinking that I boasted improperly, resolved to
have a witty stroke at me: 'Nay, Sir, it was not the WINE that made your
head ache, but the SENSE that I put into it.
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