Smoking, Incident of
Sir Walter Raleigh's smoking caused a comical misunderstanding of fire due to smoke from his mouth.
Tobacco was first brought into repute in England by Sir Walter Raleigh. By the caution he took in smoking it privately, he did not intend it should be copied. But sitting one day in deep meditation, with a pipe in his mouth, he inadvertently called to his man to bring him a tankard of small-beer. The fellow, coming into the room, threw all the liquor into his master's face, and, running down stairs, bawled out, "Fire, help! Sir Walter has studied till his head is on fire, and the smoke bursts out at his mouth and nose!"