keeps his own head clear. He knows the confusing quality of wine."

"You make out rather a strong case," said Doctor Hillhouse.

"Too strong, do you think?"

"Perhaps not. Looking at the thing through your eyes, Mr. Carlton,
moderate drinking is an evil of great magnitude."

"It is assuredly, and far greater, as I have said, than is generally
supposed. The children of this world are very wise, and some of
them, I am sorry to add, very unscrupulous in gaining their ends.
They know the power of all the agencies that are around them, and do
not scruple to make use of whatever comes to their hand. Three or
four capitalists are invited to meet at a gentleman's house to
consider some proposition he has to lay before them. They are
liberally supplied with wine, and drink without a lurking suspicion
of what the service of good wine means. They see in it only the
common hospitality of the day, and fail to notice that one or two of
the company never empty their glasses. On the next day these men
will most likely feel some doubt as to the prudence of certain large
subscriptions made on the previous afternoon or evening, and wonder
how they could have been so infatuated as to put money into a scheme
that promised little beyond a permanent investment.

"If," added Mr. Carlton, "we could come at any proximate estimate of
the loss which falls upon society in consequence of the moderate use
of intoxicating drinks, we would find that it exceeded a
hundred--nay, a thousand--fold that of the losses sustained through
drunkenness. Against the latter society is all the while seeking to