and the state of the body and the brain; not | She has always been a careful and deliberate with the authority of a physician, but with worker, very anxious to give all necessary the sympathy of a fellow-laborer, who has learned something from his own experience, and still more from the more varied experience of his friends. LETTER II. labor in preparation, and, like all such conscientious laborers, she can scarcely endure to be pushed. However, on this occasion she worked overtime, as they say in Lancashire, and to enable herself to bear the extra pressure she did part of the work at night in order to keep several hours of daylight clear for her walks in the country, where she lived. Many writers, in the same situation, would TO A YOUNG MAN OF LETTERS WHO WORKED have temporarily abandoned exercise, but EXCESSIVELY. Mental labor rarely compatible with the best physical condi- George Sand clung to it all the more at a time when it was especially necessary that she should be well. In the same way Sir Walter Scott counterbalanced the effects of tranquillizer of the nervous system-Eugène Sue-Shel- sedentary occupation by his hearty enjoyley's love of boating-Nervousness the affliction of brain- ment of field-sports. It has been supposed workers-Nature's kindly warning-Working by spurts-that his outdoor exercise, which to weaker Beckford-Byron-Indolence of men of genius fortunate -Distressing nature of cerebral fatigue. persons appears excessive, may have helped to bring on the stroke of paralysis which finalIt is possible that many of the worst results | ly disabled him; but the fact is, that when the of intellectual labor may be nothing more stroke arrived Sir Walter had altered his than indirect results. We may suffer, not habits of life in obedience to what he believed from the work itself, but from sedentary to be his duty, and had abandoned, or nearly confinement, from want of exercise, from so, the active amusements of his happier insufficient variety and amusement. years. I believe rather that whilst he took so Mental labor is seldom compatible with much exercise his robust constitution not the best physical conditions; it is so some-only enabled him to endure it without injury, times, however, or may be made so by an but required it to keep the nervous system effort of will and resolution. Wordsworth healthy, in spite of his hard work in literary composed his poetry in the open air, as he composition. Physical exercise, when the walked, and so preserved himself from the constitution is strong enough to endure it, is evil of close confinement to the desk. Mr. by far the best tranquillizer of the nervous W. F. A. Delane, who did so much for the system which has yet been discovered, and organization of the Times newspaper when it Sir Walter's life at Abbotsford was, in this was under his management, began by doing respect at least, grounded on the true philosolaw reports for that paper, in London and on phy of conduct. The French romancer, Eucircuit. His appearance of rude health sur-gène Sue, wrote till ten o'clock every mornprised other members of his profession, but ing, and passed the rest of the day, when at he accounted for it by the care he took to his country house, either in horse-exercise, or compensate for the bad air and sedentary la-field-sports, or gardening, for all of which he bor in the courts of law by travelling between had a liking which amounted to passion. the assize towns on horseback, and also by a Shelley's delight was boating, which at once more than commonly temperate way of life, exercised his muscles and relieved his mind since he carefully avoided the bar dinners, from the weariness of incessant invention or eating and drinking for health alone. It is speculation. It will generally be found, that possible to endure the most unhealthy labor whenever a man of much intellectual distincwhen there are frequent intervals of invigor-tion has maintained his powers in full activating exercise, accompanied by habits of ity, it has been by avoiding the bad effects of strict sobriety. The plan, so commonly re- an entirely sedentary life. sorted to, of trying to get health in stock for the rest of the year by a fortnight's hurried travelling in the autumn, is not so good as Mr. Delane's way of getting the week's supply of health during the course of the week itself. It happened once that George Sand was hurried by the proprietor of a newspaper who wanted one of her novels as a feuilleton. I well believe that a person naturally robust, with a clear and powerful brain, could bear twelve or fourteen hours' work every day for years together so far as the work itself is concerned, if only so large an expenditure of time left a sufficient margin for amusement, and exercise, and sleep. But the privation of exercise, by weakening the digestive and assimilative powers, reduces the flow of NOTE.-The bad effect of literary composition on the physi healthy and rich blood to the brain-the brain | through the sleepless night the phantoms of requires an enormous quantity of blood, es- unconquerable horror. pecially when the cerebral matter is rapidly destroyed by intellectual labor—and usually cal state which was observed by Wordsworth in his own case brings on nervousness, the peculiar affliction was also noticed by Shelley during the composition of the of the over-driven mental laborer. This ner- medicines, and kept, he believed, the pain in his side "as sticks "Cenci," which, he said, had been a fine antidote to nervous vousness is Nature's kindly warning, preserv-do a fire." These influences are best observed in people whose ing us, if we attend to it in time, from much more serious consequences. The best preventive of it, and often the only cure, is plenty of moderate exercise. The customs of the upper classes in England happily provide this in the best shape, that of amusement enjoyed in society, but our middle classes in large towns do not get nearly enough of it, and the most studious are always strongly tempted to neglect it altogether. Men of great imaginative power are commonly addicted to a habit which is peculiarly dangerous. They work as race-horses work, with the utmost intensity of effort during short spaces of time, taxing all their powers whilst the brilliant effort lasts. When Beckford wrote the wonderful tale "Vathek " in his twentieth year, he did it at a single sitting, which lasted for three days and two nights, and it cost him a serious illness. Several of the best poems by Byron were written, if not quite with equal rapidity, still on the same principle of composition at white heat. In cases of this kind, Nature provides her own remedy in the indolence of the imaginative temperament, which leaves large spaces of time for the action of the recuperative processes. The same law governs the physical energies of the carnivora, which maintain, or recover, their capacity for extraordinary effort by intervals of absolute repose. In its long spaces of mental rest the imaginative temperament recruits itself by amusement, which in England usually includes physical exercise of some kind. This fortunate indolence of men of genius would in most instances ensure their safety if they were not impelled by necessity to labor beyond the suggestions of inclination. The exhausted brain never of itself seeks the additional exhaustion of hard work. You know very well when you are tired, and at such times the natural man in you asks plainly enough for rest and recreation. The art is so to arrange our lives that the natural man may sometimes have his way, and forget, if only for a time, the labors which lead to weariness not to that pleasant weariness of the body which promises soundest sleep, but the distressing fatigue of the exhausted spirit which is tortured by the importunity of ideas which it is unable to express, and apprehensions that it cannot dismiss, which fights health is delicate. Although Joubert, for example, had an extremely clear intellect, he could scarcely write at all on account of the physical consequences. I have come to the conclusion that literary work acts simply as a strong stimulant. In moderate quantities it is not only innocent, but decidedly what constitutes excess every man has to find out by his own experience. A page was excess to Joubert, a chapter was moderation to Alexandre Dumas. beneficial; in excess it acts like poison on the nervous system. LETTER III. TO A STUDENT IN UNCERTAIN HEALTH. Habits of Kant, the philosopher-Objection to an over-minute regularity of habit--Value of independence of character-Case of an English author--Case of an English resident in Paris-Scott an abundant eater and drinker-Goethe also-An eminent French publisher-Turgot-Importance of good cookery-Wine drinking-Ale-The aid of stimulants treacherous-The various effects of tobacco-Tea and coffee-Case of an English clergyman-Balzac-The Arabia custom of coffee-drinking-Wisdom of occasionally using stimulants. IMMANUEL KANT, who was a master in the art of taking care of himself, had by practice acquired a dexterous mode of folding himself up in the bed-clothes, by passing them over and under his shoulders, so that, when the operation was complete, he was shut up like the silkworm in his cocoon. "When I am thus snugly folded up in my bed," he would say to his friends, "I say to myself, can any man be in better health than I am?" There is nothing in the lives of philosophers more satisfactory than this little passage. If Kant had said to himself, "Can anybody be wiser, more learned, more justly deserving of immortal fame than I am?" we should have felt, that however agreeable this opinion might have been to the philosopher who held it, his private satisfaction stood in need of confirmation from without; and even if he had really been all this, we might have reflected that wisdom and learning still leave their possessor exposed to the acutest kinds of suffering. But when a philosopher rolls himself up at night, and congratulates himself on the possession of perfect health, we only think what a happy man he was to possess that first of blessings, and what a sensible man to know the value of it! And Kant had a deeper happiness in this reflection than any which could spring from the mere consciousness of possessing one of the unearned gifts of nature. The excellence of his health was due in part to a enjoys excellent health and uncommon men tal clearness. A detail which illustrates Kant's attention his rule to withdraw his mind from everything requiring effort fifteen minutes before he went to bed. His theory, which is fully confirmed by the experience of others, was, that there was a risk of missing sleep if the brain was not tranquillized before bed-time. He knew that the intellectual life of the day depended on the night's rest, and he took this precaution to secure it. The regularity of his daily walk, taken during the afternoon in all weathers, and the strict limitation of the hours of rest, also helped the soundness of his sleep. sufficiently good constitution, but it was due also to his own extreme carefulness about his habits. By an unceasing observation of his own bodily life, as far as possible removed to whatever could affect his physical life, is from the anxiety of hypochondriacs, he managed to keep the physical machine in such regular order, that for more than thirty years he always rose precisely at the same minute. If his object had been health for health's sake, the result would still have been well worth any sacrifices of momentary inclination that it cost him; but Kant had a higher purpose. He well knew that the regularity of the intellectual life depended entirely on the regularity of the bodily functions, and, unlike the foolish men alluded to by Goethe who pass the day in complaining of headache, and the night in drinking the wine that produces it, Kant not only knew that regular health was necessary to his work as a philosopher, but did everything in his power to preserve it. Few intellectual laborers have in this respect given evidence of such persistent strength of will. He would not walk out in company, for the whimsical reason that if he opened his mouth a colder air would reach his lungs than that which passed through the nostrils; and he would not eat alone, but always had guests to dinner. There are good physiological reasons in favor of pleasant society at table, and, besides these, there are good intellectual reasons also. By attention to these rules of his, Kant managed to keep both body and mind in a working order, more uninterrupted than is usual with men who go through much intellectual labor. The solitary objection to his system is the excessive regularity of habit to which it bound him by chains of his own forging. He found a quiet happiness in this regularity: indeed, happiness is said to be more commonly found in habit that in anything else, so deeply does it satisfy a great permanent instinct of In his manner of living he did not consult custom, but the needs of his individual nature. It is not always easy for great brainworkers to follow with perfect fidelity the customs of the people about them. These usages have been gradually formed by the majority to suit the needs of the majority: but there are cases where a close adherence to them would be a serious hindrance to the highest and best activity. A good example of this is Kant's intense antipathy to beer. It did not suit him, and he was right in his non-conformity to German usage on this point, but he was mistaken in believ- our nature. But a minute regularity of habit ing beer to be universally injurious. There is objectionable, because it can only be pracis a very general belief in England that what ticable at home, and is compatible only with is called a good breakfast is the foundation of an existence of the most absolute tranquillity. the labor of the day. Kant's breakfast, which Kant did not travel, and never could have he took at five in the morning at all seasons travelled. He was a bachelor, and could not of the year, consisted of a cup of tea and a have ceased to be a bachelor, without a pipe of tobacco. On this he worked eight disturbance that would have been intolerahours, either in lecturing or writing-a long ble to him. He enjoyed the full benefits of stretch of uninterrupted labor. He dined at his system without experiencing its disadone, and this was his only meal, for he had vantages, but any considerable change of sitno supper. The single repast was a deviation (uation would have made the disadvantages from ordinary usage, but Kant found that it apparent. Few lives can be so minutely regsuited him, probably because he read in the ulated without risk of future inconvenience. evening from six till a quarter to ten, and a Kant's example is a good one so far as this, second meal might have interfered with this that it proved a sort of independence of charby diminishing his power of attention. There acter which would be valuable to every stuexists a strong medical objection to this habit dent. All who need to keep their minds in the of taking only one meal in twenty-four best possible condition ought to have resoluhours, which indeed is almost unknown in tion enough to regulate their living in a manEngland, though not extremely rare on the ner which experience, in their case, proves to Continent. I know an old gentleman who be most favorable. Whatever may be the for forty years has lived as Kant did, and authority of custom, a wise man makes day. himself independent of usages which are im- | his work, but a man of less robust constitution pediments to his best activity. I know an would have felt exhausted in the course of the author who was always unwell about eleven o'clock in the morning-so unwell that he Turgot could not work well till after he had could do nothing but lament his miserable dined copiously, but many men cannot think fate. Knowing by experience the powerful after a substantial meal; and here, in spite of effect of regimen, I inquired whether he en- the example set by Scott and Goethe, let me joyed his breakfast. "No, he did not." observe that nothing interferes so much with Then why did he attempt to eat any break- brainwork as over-eating. The intellectual fast?" It turned out that this foolish man workman requires nourishment of the best swallowed every morning two cups of bad possible quality, but the quantity ought coffee and a quantity of greasy food, from a always to be well within the capacity of his patriotic deference to the customs of his coun- digestive powers. The truth appears to be, try. He was persuaded to abandon this un- that whilst the intellectual life makes very suitable habit and to eat nothing till half-past large demands upon nutrition-for cerebral ten, when his adviser prescribed a well-cooked activity cannot go forward without constant little déjeuner à la fourchette, accompanied by supplies of force, which must come ultimatehalf a bottle of sound Bordeaux. The effect ly from what we have eaten-this kind of life, was magical. My friend felt light and cheer- being sedentary, is unfavorable to the work ful before déjeuner, and worked quite happily of digestion. Brain-workers cannot eat like and well, whilst after déjeuner he felt like a sportsmen and farmers without losing many horse that has eaten his corn. Nor was the hours in torpor, and yet they need nutrition good effect a transitory one; the bad symp- as much as if they led active lives. The only toms never returned, and he still adheres to way out of this difficulty is to take care that his new arrangement. This little reform made the food is good enough for a moderate quana wretched existence happy, and has had for tity of it to maintain the physical and mental its result an increase in production with a dim- powers. The importance of scientific cookery inution of fatigue. The explanation is that can hardly be exaggerated. Intellectual lathe stomach did not ask for the early break- bor is, in its origin, as dependent upon the fast, and had a hard fight to overcome it, art of cookery as the dissemination of its reafter which came exhaustion and a distaste sults is dependent upon paper-making and both for food and work. There are cases where printing. This is one of those matters which an opposite rule is the right one. An English- people cannot be brought to consider seriously; man living in Paris found the French dé- but cookery in its perfection--the great scijeuner unsuitable for him, and discovered that ence of preparing food in the way best suited he worked best on a substantial English break- to our use-is really the most important of all fast, with strong tea, at eight in the morning, sciences, and the mother of the arts. The after which he went on working all day with- wonderful theory that the most ignorant out any further nourishment till dinner at six cookery is the most favorable to health is in the evening. A friend of Sir Walter Scott's, only fit for the dark ages. It is grossly and who had stayed with him at Abbotsford, told stupidly untrue. A scientific cook will me that Sir Walter ate and drank like every- keep you in regular health, when an ignorant body else as to times and seasons, but much one will offer you the daily alternative of more abundantly than people of less vigorous starving or indigestion. organization. Goethe used to work till eleven The great question of drinks is scarcely less without taking anything, then he drank a cup important. Sound natural wines, not strengthof chocolate and worked till one. "At two ened by any addition of alcohol, are known he dined. This meal was the important meal to supply both stimulus and nourishment to of the day. His appetite was immense. Even the brain. Goethe's practice was not irraon the days when he complained of not being tional, though he drank fifty thousand bottles hungry he ate much more than most men. in his lifetime. Still it is not necessary to Puddings, sweets, and cakes were always wel- imitate him to this extent. The wine-drinkcome. He sat a long while over his wine. ing populations have keener and livelier wits He was fond of wine, and drank daily his two than those who use other beverages. It is or three bottles." An eminent French pub-proved by long experience that the pure juice lisher, one of the most clear-headed and of the grape sustains the force and activity of hard-working men of his generation, never the brain. The poets who from age to age touched food or drink till six in the evening, have sung the praise of wine were not wholly when he ate an excellent dinner with his either deceivers or deceived. In the lands of guests. He found this system favorable to the vine, where the plant is looked upon as a nursing mother, men do not injure their health | us as to the limits of our natural powers and by drinking; but in the colder North, where encourage us to attempt too much. The help the grape can never ripen, the deaths from they give us is not altogether illusory; under intemperance are frequent. Bread and wine are almost pure gifts of nature, though both are prepared by man after the old traditional ways. These are not poisons, but gin and absinthe are poisons, madness poured out from a bottle! Kant and Goethe loved the pure Rhine wine, and their brains were clear and vigorous to the utmost span of life. It was not wine that ruined Burns and Byron, or Baudelaire, or Alfred de Musset. certain limitations it is real, but many have gone farther than the reality of the assistance warranted. The ally brings to us an increase of forces, but he comes with appearances of power surpassing the reality, and we undertake tasks beyond our strength. In drinking, as in eating, the best rule for the intellectual is moderation in quantity with good quality, a sound wine, and not enough of it to foster self-delusion. Notwithstanding Kant's horror of beer, that The use of tobacco has so much extended ithonest northern drink deserves our friendly self in the present generation that we are all recognition. It has quite a peculiar effect obliged to make a decision for ourselves on upon the nervous system, giving a rest and the ancient controversy between its friends calm which no other drink can procure for it and enemies. We cannot form a reasonable so safely. It is said that beer drinkers are opinion about tobacco without bearing in slow, and a little stupid; that they have an mind that it produces, according to circumox-like placidity not quité favorable to any stances, one of two entirely distinct and even brilliant intellectual display. But there are opposite classes of effects. In certain states times when this placidity is what the laboring of the body it acts as a stimulant, in other brain most needs. After the agitations of too states as a narcotic. People who have a disactive thinking there is safety in a tankard of like to smoking affirm that it stupefies; but ale. The wine drinkers are agile, but they this assertion, at least so far as the temporary are excitable; the beer drinkers are heavy, consequences are concerned, is not supported but in their heaviness there is peace. In that by experience. Most of the really brilliant clear golden drink which England has brewed conversations that I have listened to have for more than a thousand Octobers, and will been accompanied by clouds of tobaccobrew for a thousand more, we may find per-smoke; and a great deal of the best literary haps some explanation of that absence of ir- composition that is produced by contemporary ritability which is the safe-guard of the na- authors is wrought by men who are actually tional character, which makes it faithful in smoking whilst they work. My own expe its affections, easy to govern, not easy to ex-rience is that very moderate smoking acts as cite to violence. a pleasant stimulus upon the brain, whilst i If I have spoken favorably of beer and wine produces a temporary lassitude of the mus as having certain intellectual uses, please re- cular system, not perceptible in times of rest member that I recommend only the habitual but an appreciable hindrance in times of mus use of them, not mad rites of Bacchus, and cular exertion. It is better therefore for me even the habitual use only just so far as it who feel these effects from tobacco to avoid i may suit the individual constitution. The when they are in exercise, and to use it onl liberal regimen of Scott and Goethe would when the body rests and the mind labors not answer in every case, and there are or- Pray remember, however, that this is the ex ganizations, often very robust, in which in- perience of an exceedingly moderate smoke toxicating drinks of all kinds, even in the who has not yet got himself into the genera most moderate quantity, impede the brain's condition of body which is brought on by action instead of aiding it. Two of the most larger indulgence in tobacco. On the othe able men I have ever known could not drink hand, it is evident that men engaged in phy pure wine of any kind because it sent the ical labor find a muscular stimulus in occa blood to the head, with consequent cerebral sional smoking, and not a temporary lassitud oppression. And whilst on this subject I It is probable that the effect varies with i ought to observe, that the aid which these dividual cases, and is never precisely wh stimulants afford, even when the body grate- our own experience would lead us to imagin fully accepts them, is often treacherous from For excessive smokers, it appears to be litt its very acceptability. Men who are over- more than the tranquillizing of a sort of u driven-and the number of such men is un-easiness, the continual satisfaction of a co happily very great in these days-say that without stimulants they could not get through their labor; but the stimulants often delude tinual craving. I have never been able to a certain that moderate smoking diminished i tellectual force; but I have observed in exce |