The Origin Of Tea

Darma, third son of Koyuwo, King of India, a religions high

priest from Siaka (the author of that Eastern paganism about a

thousand years before the Christian era), coming to China, to

teach the way of happiness, lived a most austere life, passing his

days in continual mortification, and retiring by night to

solitudes, in which he fed only upon the leaves of trees and

other vegetable productions. After several years pa sed in this

manner, in fasting and watching, it happened that, contrary to

his vows, the pious Darma fell asleep! When he awoke, he was

so much enraged at himself, that, to prevent the offence to his

vows for the future, he got rid of his eyelids and placed them on

the ground. On the following day, returning to his accustomed

devotions, he beheld, with amazement, springing up from his

eyelids, two small shrubs of an unusual appearance, such as he

had never before seen, and of whose qualities he was, of course,

entirely ignorant. The saint, however, not being wholly devoid

of curiosity--or, perhaps, being unusually hungry--was prompted

to eat of the leaves, and immediately felt within him a wonderful

elevation of mind, and a vehement desire of divine contemplation,

with which he acquainted his disciples, who were eager to

follow the example of their instructor, and they readily

received into common use the fragrant plant which has been

the theme of so many poetical and literary pens in succeeding ages.