a district at the Cape of Good Hope, consisting of two farms, which produce the well-known wine so much prized in Europe, and known by the name of Cape or Constantia wine. This place is situated at the distance of a mile and a half from Alphen, in a bending formed by and nearly under the ridge of hills, which comes from Meutzenmountain, and just where it strikes off towards Houtbay. One of these farms is called Little Constantia. Here the white Constantia wine is made. The other produces the red. According to M. de la Cail's account, not more than 60 fuggars of red, and 90 of the white, Constantia wine are made, each fuggar being reckoned at 600 French pints, or about 150 Swedish cans; so that the whole produce amounts to 22,500 cans. As the company are used to keep one-third of this for themselves, the remainder is always bespoken by the Europeans long before it is made. At the Cape this wine is seldom seen at table, partly because it is dear, and partly because it is the produce of the country. The red Constantia wine sells for about 60 dollars the half a wine; but the white is usually to be purchased at a more reasonable rate. The genuine Constantia wine is undeniably a very racy and delicate dessert wine, and has something peculiarly agreeable in the flavour of it. That its superiority, however, is not owing to anything peculiar in the manner of preparing it, seems extremely probable; for then, without doubt, a great deal more of it would be made. In fact, Dr. Sparmann informs us, that the genuine wine can only be produced from particular soils. The districts that lie next to these yield merely the common Cape wine, notwithstanding that they have been planted with vine stocks taken from this, as well as with some brought from the banks of the Rhine, whence it is supposed that the true Constantia first originally comes; nay, even though all the vineyards about Constantia seem to have the same soil. We have instances at the Cape, as well as in Europe, that good grapes sometimes produce a bad wine; while, on the other hand, bad grapes will yield a good sort of wine: therefore, towards making wine of a certain quality, besides finer materials, there must be certain conditions and circumstances, which, by a diligent and rational investigation, might probably be explored to the great benefit of mankind.

Such as are apprised in what quantities Constantia wine is consumed in Europe, will perhaps think the above calculation of the produce too limited. This, however, Dr. Sparrmann affirms us, is by no means the case; the overplus being the produce of avarice, which, goaded on by the desire of gain, will always hit upon some method of satisfying the demands of luxury and sensuality. The votaries of these, accustomed to be put off with empty sounds, do not seldom drink with the highest relish an imaginary Constantia, with which, however, this liquor has nothing in common besides the mere name. It is therefore advisable, even at the Cape itself, to take care, that whilst one has a genuine sample given one to taste, one is not made to pay for a made-up red Constantia, which otherwise is in general sold for half the price. The rich quality of this wine, is, according to Barrow, owing partly to the situation and soil, and partly to the care in the manufacture; for ripe fruit only is used, and always entirely freed from the stalks.