CHAPTER III.COCA IN LITERATURE.
Coca has not been official in any but the last Codex, and last United States, British, Austrian, Belgian, and Chilian Pharmacopœias, and although mentioned by Guibourt and tried by Sir Robert Christison upon himself (see p. 53), it is not mentioned by such pharmacologists as Quincy, Pereira, or Hanbury. As a theme for the poet, Milton, who drew many of his similes from tropicalplants and scenery, appears not to have known of it, as he does not mention it. Abraham Cowley, later, in his Book V. of Plants, makes Bacchus fill Omelichilus[8]“a bowl with juice from grape,” but
“He unaccustom’d to the acid juiceStorm’d and with blows had answer’d the abuse,But fear’d t’engage theEuropeanGuest,Whose Strength and Courage had subdu’d theEast.He therefore chooses a less dang’rous Fray,And summons all his Country’s Plants away:Forthwith in decent Order they appear,And various Fruits on various Branches wear.LikeAmazonsthey stand in painted Arms,Cocaalone appeared with little Charms,Yet led the Van, our scoffing Venus scorn’dThe shrub-like tree, and with no Fruit adorn’d,TheIndianPlants, said she, are like to speedIn this dispute of the most fertile Breed,Who choose aDwarfand Eunuch for their head;Our Gods laugh’d out aloud at what she said,Pachamama defends her darling Tree,And said the wanton Goddess was too free;You only know the fruitfulness of Lust,And therefore here your judgment is unjust,Your skill in other off-springs we may trust,With those Chast tribes that no distinction knowOf Sex, your Province nothing has to do.Of all the Plants that any soil does bear,This Tree in Fruits the richest does appear,It bears the best, and bears ’em all the year.Ev’n now with Fruits ’tis stored—why laugh you yetBehold how thick with Leaves it is beset,Each Leaf is Fruit, and such substantial fare,No Fruit beside to rival it will dare.Mov’d with his Country’s coming Fate (whose SoilMust for her Treasures be exposed to spoil)OurVaricochafirst thisCocasent,Endow’d with Leaves of wond’rous Nourishment,Whose Juice Succ’d in, and to the Stomach tak’nLong Hunger and long Labour can sustain;From which our faint and weary Bodies findMore Succour, more they cheer the drooping Mind,Than can yourBacchusand yourCeresjoined.Three Leaves supply for six days’ march afford.TheQuitoitawith this Provision stor’dCan pass the vast and cloudy Andes o’er.The dreadfulAndesplac’d ’twixt Winter’s storeOf Winds, Rains, Snow, and that more humble Earth,That gave the small but valiantCocaBirth;This Champion that makes warlikeVenusMirth.NorCocaonly useful art at home,A famous Merchandize thou art become;A thousandPaciandVicugnigroan,Yearly beneath thy Loads, and for thy Sake aloneThe spacious World’s to us by Commerce known.Thus spake the Goddess, (on her painted SkinWere figures wrought) and next callsHovia[9]in,That for its stony Fruit may be despis’d,But for its Virtue next toCocapriz’dHer shade by wondrous Influence can compose,And lock the Senses in such sweet Repose,That oft the Natives of a distant SoilLong Journeys take of voluntary Toil,Only to sleep beneath her Branches’ shade:Where in transporting Dreams entranc’d they lye,And quite forget theSpaniards’Tyranny.”
“He unaccustom’d to the acid juiceStorm’d and with blows had answer’d the abuse,But fear’d t’engage theEuropeanGuest,Whose Strength and Courage had subdu’d theEast.He therefore chooses a less dang’rous Fray,And summons all his Country’s Plants away:Forthwith in decent Order they appear,And various Fruits on various Branches wear.LikeAmazonsthey stand in painted Arms,Cocaalone appeared with little Charms,Yet led the Van, our scoffing Venus scorn’dThe shrub-like tree, and with no Fruit adorn’d,TheIndianPlants, said she, are like to speedIn this dispute of the most fertile Breed,Who choose aDwarfand Eunuch for their head;Our Gods laugh’d out aloud at what she said,Pachamama defends her darling Tree,And said the wanton Goddess was too free;You only know the fruitfulness of Lust,And therefore here your judgment is unjust,Your skill in other off-springs we may trust,With those Chast tribes that no distinction knowOf Sex, your Province nothing has to do.Of all the Plants that any soil does bear,This Tree in Fruits the richest does appear,It bears the best, and bears ’em all the year.Ev’n now with Fruits ’tis stored—why laugh you yetBehold how thick with Leaves it is beset,Each Leaf is Fruit, and such substantial fare,No Fruit beside to rival it will dare.Mov’d with his Country’s coming Fate (whose SoilMust for her Treasures be exposed to spoil)OurVaricochafirst thisCocasent,Endow’d with Leaves of wond’rous Nourishment,Whose Juice Succ’d in, and to the Stomach tak’nLong Hunger and long Labour can sustain;From which our faint and weary Bodies findMore Succour, more they cheer the drooping Mind,Than can yourBacchusand yourCeresjoined.Three Leaves supply for six days’ march afford.TheQuitoitawith this Provision stor’dCan pass the vast and cloudy Andes o’er.The dreadfulAndesplac’d ’twixt Winter’s storeOf Winds, Rains, Snow, and that more humble Earth,That gave the small but valiantCocaBirth;This Champion that makes warlikeVenusMirth.NorCocaonly useful art at home,A famous Merchandize thou art become;A thousandPaciandVicugnigroan,Yearly beneath thy Loads, and for thy Sake aloneThe spacious World’s to us by Commerce known.Thus spake the Goddess, (on her painted SkinWere figures wrought) and next callsHovia[9]in,That for its stony Fruit may be despis’d,But for its Virtue next toCocapriz’dHer shade by wondrous Influence can compose,And lock the Senses in such sweet Repose,That oft the Natives of a distant SoilLong Journeys take of voluntary Toil,Only to sleep beneath her Branches’ shade:Where in transporting Dreams entranc’d they lye,And quite forget theSpaniards’Tyranny.”
“He unaccustom’d to the acid juiceStorm’d and with blows had answer’d the abuse,But fear’d t’engage theEuropeanGuest,Whose Strength and Courage had subdu’d theEast.He therefore chooses a less dang’rous Fray,And summons all his Country’s Plants away:Forthwith in decent Order they appear,And various Fruits on various Branches wear.LikeAmazonsthey stand in painted Arms,Cocaalone appeared with little Charms,Yet led the Van, our scoffing Venus scorn’dThe shrub-like tree, and with no Fruit adorn’d,TheIndianPlants, said she, are like to speedIn this dispute of the most fertile Breed,Who choose aDwarfand Eunuch for their head;Our Gods laugh’d out aloud at what she said,Pachamama defends her darling Tree,And said the wanton Goddess was too free;You only know the fruitfulness of Lust,And therefore here your judgment is unjust,Your skill in other off-springs we may trust,With those Chast tribes that no distinction knowOf Sex, your Province nothing has to do.Of all the Plants that any soil does bear,This Tree in Fruits the richest does appear,It bears the best, and bears ’em all the year.Ev’n now with Fruits ’tis stored—why laugh you yetBehold how thick with Leaves it is beset,Each Leaf is Fruit, and such substantial fare,No Fruit beside to rival it will dare.Mov’d with his Country’s coming Fate (whose SoilMust for her Treasures be exposed to spoil)OurVaricochafirst thisCocasent,Endow’d with Leaves of wond’rous Nourishment,Whose Juice Succ’d in, and to the Stomach tak’nLong Hunger and long Labour can sustain;From which our faint and weary Bodies findMore Succour, more they cheer the drooping Mind,Than can yourBacchusand yourCeresjoined.Three Leaves supply for six days’ march afford.TheQuitoitawith this Provision stor’dCan pass the vast and cloudy Andes o’er.The dreadfulAndesplac’d ’twixt Winter’s storeOf Winds, Rains, Snow, and that more humble Earth,That gave the small but valiantCocaBirth;This Champion that makes warlikeVenusMirth.NorCocaonly useful art at home,A famous Merchandize thou art become;A thousandPaciandVicugnigroan,Yearly beneath thy Loads, and for thy Sake aloneThe spacious World’s to us by Commerce known.Thus spake the Goddess, (on her painted SkinWere figures wrought) and next callsHovia[9]in,That for its stony Fruit may be despis’d,But for its Virtue next toCocapriz’dHer shade by wondrous Influence can compose,And lock the Senses in such sweet Repose,That oft the Natives of a distant SoilLong Journeys take of voluntary Toil,Only to sleep beneath her Branches’ shade:Where in transporting Dreams entranc’d they lye,And quite forget theSpaniards’Tyranny.”
“He unaccustom’d to the acid juice
Storm’d and with blows had answer’d the abuse,
But fear’d t’engage theEuropeanGuest,
Whose Strength and Courage had subdu’d theEast.
He therefore chooses a less dang’rous Fray,
And summons all his Country’s Plants away:
Forthwith in decent Order they appear,
And various Fruits on various Branches wear.
LikeAmazonsthey stand in painted Arms,
Cocaalone appeared with little Charms,
Yet led the Van, our scoffing Venus scorn’d
The shrub-like tree, and with no Fruit adorn’d,
TheIndianPlants, said she, are like to speed
In this dispute of the most fertile Breed,
Who choose aDwarfand Eunuch for their head;
Our Gods laugh’d out aloud at what she said,
Pachamama defends her darling Tree,
And said the wanton Goddess was too free;
You only know the fruitfulness of Lust,
And therefore here your judgment is unjust,
Your skill in other off-springs we may trust,
With those Chast tribes that no distinction know
Of Sex, your Province nothing has to do.
Of all the Plants that any soil does bear,
This Tree in Fruits the richest does appear,
It bears the best, and bears ’em all the year.
Ev’n now with Fruits ’tis stored—why laugh you yet
Behold how thick with Leaves it is beset,
Each Leaf is Fruit, and such substantial fare,
No Fruit beside to rival it will dare.
Mov’d with his Country’s coming Fate (whose Soil
Must for her Treasures be exposed to spoil)
OurVaricochafirst thisCocasent,
Endow’d with Leaves of wond’rous Nourishment,
Whose Juice Succ’d in, and to the Stomach tak’n
Long Hunger and long Labour can sustain;
From which our faint and weary Bodies find
More Succour, more they cheer the drooping Mind,
Than can yourBacchusand yourCeresjoined.
Three Leaves supply for six days’ march afford.
TheQuitoitawith this Provision stor’d
Can pass the vast and cloudy Andes o’er.
The dreadfulAndesplac’d ’twixt Winter’s store
Of Winds, Rains, Snow, and that more humble Earth,
That gave the small but valiantCocaBirth;
This Champion that makes warlikeVenusMirth.
NorCocaonly useful art at home,
A famous Merchandize thou art become;
A thousandPaciandVicugnigroan,
Yearly beneath thy Loads, and for thy Sake alone
The spacious World’s to us by Commerce known.
Thus spake the Goddess, (on her painted Skin
Were figures wrought) and next callsHovia[9]in,
That for its stony Fruit may be despis’d,
But for its Virtue next toCocapriz’d
Her shade by wondrous Influence can compose,
And lock the Senses in such sweet Repose,
That oft the Natives of a distant Soil
Long Journeys take of voluntary Toil,
Only to sleep beneath her Branches’ shade:
Where in transporting Dreams entranc’d they lye,
And quite forget theSpaniards’Tyranny.”