Dear Marty Roth:

  I noted your suggestion on treatments of drink in Shakespeare. As you'll
see from my summary in the Dec. (I hope) issue of SHAR, I continue to
analyze l7th century songs & poems on drinking (mainly wine.) Falstaff's
pangyric on sack is typical of the widespread belief that drink can enhance
wit & the imagination - a rebirth of a popular Greek notion. I am saturated
with data from nearly 200 "Bacchanalian" songs but am under-educated on
reflections of such attitudes in poetry & drama.

  As I am starting an article on how both the gifts & dangers of Bacchus are
reflected in songs - which in turn reflect social history, I would
appreciate constructive criticism ofthis essay as it discusses l7th & l8th
century literary views. I take some ideas from the thesis of George Light,
which is briefly summarized in my second S.H.A.R. report on our conference
"DRINK, DRAMA, SONG & POETRY." I can send you his thesis title & e-mail
address if that might interest you.

  Sincerely,  David Ingle