Posset

Use in the book

In the first sleep discussion Burton moves from others’ recommendations to “I say,” proposing drinks that include a posset “of the same” after muscadine, toast and nutmeg. The modern column takes this as a posset made from the previously mentioned drink. He observes that many use these preparations in the morning, but judges them more suitable at night for people with dry brains. The restriction to that supposed constitution and the personal “me thinks” belong to his claim. The same paragraph has already distinguished people helped by gentle sound from those helped by silence; a uniform remedy for every sleepless person would misrepresent its method.

The purgative catalogue gives the beverage a different job. Asarabacca is administered in wine or whey, or, “as with us,” incorporated into posset drink with additions to temper the unpleasant taste. The upward purging belongs to the medicinal plant and its preparation, not to posset as a beverage category. The next paragraph debates whether the plant purges melancholy alone or other humours as well. Burton’s phrase about local use therefore describes a vehicle and an administration practice without establishing that every posset induces vomiting.

The later sleep section locates the hempseed example among internal simple and compound preparations. Country people commonly make it; Fuchs strongly disapproves, but Burton claims to have observed benefit. His concession is expressly limited to circumstances where better medicines are unavailable. It would erase the disagreement to report either unanimous approval or an unqualified prohibition. The neighbouring lists of opium and named compounds do not make hempseed posset a form of opium or identify it with a modern standardized product. These are historical household and medical practices, not present-day recommendations.

Related entries

Sleep and waking retains the varied attempts to procure rest; Purging the distinction between upward and downward evacuation. Opium and opiates retains the neighbouring substances and compound names without absorbing the hempseed drink. Meat explains the wider food vocabulary, including dairy foods.

Explained vocabulary: Additional Terms.

Places to read

1. Member 5. Sleeplessness and Frightening Dreams Remedied · paragraph 35Sounds, reading and other means introduce the individualized sleep discussion. [Context, not a headword attestation.]
2. Member 5. Sleeplessness and Frightening Dreams Remedied · paragraph 36A posset in Burton’s own night-time preference for people with dry brains.
3. Member 2 Subsection 1 Single Substances That Purge Upwards · paragraph 31The following medicines are classified as purging upward. [Context, not a headword attestation.]
4. Member 2 Subsection 1 Single Substances That Purge Upwards · paragraph 32Posset drink serves as a medicinal vehicle, with taste moderated.
5. Member 2 Subsection 1 Single Substances That Purge Upwards · paragraph 33The plant’s purgative scope is disputed. [Context, not a headword attestation.]
6. Subsection 6 Remedies for Accompanying Symptoms: To Bring Sleep, and Against Fearful Dreams, Redness and So On · paragraph 35The later chapter distinguishes internal and external sleep remedies. [Context, not a headword attestation.]
7. Subsection 6 Remedies for Accompanying Symptoms: To Bring Sleep, and Against Fearful Dreams, Redness and So On · paragraph 36Hempseed appears among internal simple substances. [Context, not a headword attestation.]
8. Subsection 6 Remedies for Accompanying Symptoms: To Bring Sleep, and Against Fearful Dreams, Redness and So On · paragraph 38The household hempseed posset: Fuchs’s objection and Burton’s qualified concession.
9. Subsection 6 Remedies for Accompanying Symptoms: To Bring Sleep, and Against Fearful Dreams, Redness and So On · paragraph 39The neighbouring opium discussion remains a distinct preparation and use. [Context, not a headword attestation.]

In this edition

The modern column retains posset and posset drink; the milk-based definition is supplied in editor notes, not inserted into Burton’s original words. “A posset of hemp-seed” becomes “a posset with hempseed”: with makes clear that the seed is an ingredient, not necessarily the drink’s whole substance. “Qualified with” becomes “tempered with,” describing an attempt to moderate taste in the asarabacca preparation; it does not mean professionally certified. The first posset’s “of the same” remains an anaphoric link rather than a complete recipe reconstructed by the editor.

a posset of the same [phrase]

A milk-based drink made with the previously mentioned drink or preparation.

Original wording: “or a posset of the same”

Modern wording: “or a posset made from it”

The antecedent lies in the preceding muscadine, toast and nutmeg proposal. The editor’s the accompanying note explains the customary milk base; Burton gives no complete recipe and restricts his night-time preference to people with dry brains. Lookup: posset; posset [sleep drink].

posset drink

A milk-based beverage used as the vehicle for another medicinal substance.

Original wording: “pounded in posset drink qualified with a little liquorice, or anniseeds, to avoid the fulsomness of the taste”

Modern wording: “pounded into posset drink, tempered with a little liquorice or aniseed to prevent its nauseating taste”

The context concerns asarabacca and upward purging. The drink carries the medicine, while the additions moderate taste; qualified does not certify safety or turn every posset into an emetic. Lookup: posset drink; posset [medicinal vehicle]; qualified with [tempered].

a posset of hemp-seed [phrase]

A milk-based household preparation containing hempseed.

Original wording: “a posset of hemp-seed”

Modern wording: “a posset with hempseed”

Burton reports common country use, Fuchs’s strong objection and his own contrary experience. His permission is conditional on better medicines being unavailable; the phrase alone supplies neither a full formulation nor established efficacy. Lookup: hempseed posset; posset of hemp-seed.