Although the public refuse to drink Madeira as Madeira, they are in fact drinking it in every way disguised--as port, as sherry, &c.; and it is a well-known fact that the poorer wines from the north side of the island are landed in the London Docks, and shipped off to the Continent, from whence they reappear in bottles as "peculiarly fine flavoured hock!" Now, as it is only the indifferent wines which are thus turned into sherry,--and the more inferior the wine, the more acid it contains,--I think I have made out a clear case that people are drinking more acid than they did before this wonderful discovery of the medical gentlemen, who have for some years led the public by the nose.
There are, however, some elderly persons of my acquaintance who are not to be dissuaded from drinking Madeira, but who continue to destroy themselves by the use of this acid, which perfumes the room when the cork is extracted.

I did represent to one of them that it was a species of suicide, after what the doctors had discovered; but he replied, in a very gruff tone of voice, "May be, sir; but you can't teach an old dog new tricks!" I consider that the public ought to feel very much indebted to me for this _expose_.

Madeira wine is very low, while sherry is high in price.

They have only to purchase a cask of Madeira and flavour it with Wellington boots or ladies' slippers, as it may suit their palates.

The former will produce the high-coloured, the latter the pale sherry.