Reblogged from Jim Webster, aka Tallis Steelyard:

It is a question I encourage my patrons to ask themselves. Oh I’m not promoting boundless extravagance. Obviously liberality is to be encouraged when it comes to paying poets but, for example, I wouldn’t push anybody into having the fountain in their garden run with wine. There are limits to good taste, and frankly the wine is never of the finest. Also who wants to imbibe wine that swirls around the comatose body of a guest or servant who has passed out through drink?

There are areas where one can sensibly economise. If you do insist of having free drink all round the house and garden, at least have somebody on the gates! Yes I know that the local children will be able to sneak through the fences carrying cans and jars but still, having the gates watched does stop their parents from entering bringing empty barrels on a dog cart.

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