Legislation against Stiimdi. 371

6. There is a saying of a Mohammedan writer, that
enjoins upon the Faithful to " honor the palm because
of its having been formed out of the clay that re-
mained over when the creation of Adam had been
completed." Tippoo Sultan of Mysore in the latter
part of the last century, not having the fear of God,
much less the fear of Mohammed before his eyes,
ordered by decree that all the palm-trees of the
country should be exterminated from the soil. This
monstrous edict (as is reported) was literally carried
out. In Norway some years ago a more humane
and reasonable policy was undertaken. The practice
had been for each family to manufacture for-itself its
two or three barrels of whiskey every year. The
Storthing made an ordinance forbidding distilling by
householders, and the result was a better liquor in
the market and a reduction upon the amount of
drunkenness.
7. Tobacco. Legislation aimed at the weed' has been
followed by corresponding results. Urban VIII. for-
bade snuff during divine service on pain of anathema,
and Innocent XII. also threatened excommunication
against all such as should presume to bring the ob-
noxious stuff within the verge of Saint Peter's ; Bene-
dict XII. a hundred years later not only carried a
snuff-box himself, but permitted the faithful also to
refresh theniselves during the tedious services of the
hour. Pius IX. of to-day the Infallible (sic visum)
takes his snuff a son gre beneath the very dome of
the Vatican.
8. Schah Abbas /., so valiant upon wine while



372 Opium.
