Possible Antedating of "Cocktail"

[Fred Shapiro]

On Mon, 23 Jan 2006, Barnhart wrote:

> I just found cocktail 1803.  I found it in _Early American Newspapers,
> series I_ from _The Farmer's Cabinet_ April 28, 1803, p [2]

Here is a possible further antedating:

1789? _The Prelateiad; or, the Rape of the Holy Bottle_ 22 (Eighteenth
Century Collections Online)  All _Ceylon's_ spicy gifts its moisture
mends, And _Kyan's_ Pep. its cock-tail virtue lends.

NOTE: The meaning of the above passage is not at all clear, but the
context seems to relate to alcoholic drinks.

Fred Shapiro


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