Mayhew discusses the increase of beer consumption coincident with wet weather: "The reason for this increased consumption is obvious; when the weather prevents workmen from prosecuting their respective callings in the open air, they have recourse to drinking, to pass away the idle time." Later he contrasts the beer-drinking statistics with those of gin-drinking: "Indeed, the statistics showing the ratio of beer and gin-drinking are curious enough (were this the place to enter into them), the most gin, as a general rule, being consumed in the most depressed years." Without having any statistical evidence for this anecdotal observation, I wonder whether there might also be a connection between the discontinuation of sexual intimacy and the consumption of interior paint such as may be indicated by the expression, "Not tonight, dear. What do you think of doing one wall in the dining room in a sponged terra cotta?" Tom Walker http://www.vcn.bc.ca/timework/
