THE WINE DUTIES.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—Mr. James Smith very properly reprehends my ffippant remark about French wines, which, however, I the less regret as it has drawn some interesting facts from him. Of course, when I said "we are told," I did not mean that I had private information; merely that such was the impression left on my mind by miscellaneous reading on the subject. It may be, of course, that out of their diminished yield of wine—much more diminished than Mr. Smith's figures show, for he has taken ten at least of the lean years into his average—the French dealers still reserve the same quantity as formerly of the genuine article for the English market ; but I suspect that we have to share and share alike with the "mass of the French people ;" and it needs no great acquaintance with French comic papers to be aware what is the popular view in France as to the ingredients of their daily beverage. Even Mr. Smith allows that what we get is "wine blended with young wine of other countries." I prefer having the wine of other countries by itself, and of moderate antiquity. And I can assure Mr. Smith that I get red wine from the Rhine which is infinitely better than any Bordeaux of an equivalent price, and rather better than any Burgundy; being at the same time, for me at all events, more wholesome than either.
However, as Mr. Goschen seems to have found out that champagne is not the only wine imported in bottle, there in
no need to say any more.—I am, Sir, &c., PA.RVO BENE.
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