'
On Friday, March 30, I dined with him at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, with the
Earl of Charlemont, Sir Annesley Stewart, Mr. Eliot of Port-Eliot, Mr.
Burke, Dean Marlay, Mr. Langton; a most agreeable day, of which I regret
that every circumstance is not preserved; but it is unreasonable to
require such a multiplication of felicity.
Mr. Eliot mentioned a curious liquor peculiar to his country, which the
Cornish fishermen drink. They call it Mahogany; and it is made of two
parts gin, and one part treacle, well beaten together. I begged to
have some of it made, which was done with proper skill by Mr. Eliot. I
thought it very good liquor; and said it was a counterpart of what is
called Athol Porridge in the Highlands of Scotland, which is a mixture
of whisky and honey. Johnson said, 'that must be a better liquor than
the Cornish, for both its component parts are better.' He also observed,
'Mahogany must be a modern name; for it is not long since the wood
called mahogany was known in this country.
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