TRAINING.—Among the nations of antiquity distinguished by their genius and political sagacity, it was a great object with their lawgivers and statesmen, to direct the education of youth, so as to produce in them the greatest possible aptitude for war, by increasing the development, health and vigor of their bodies. To this end, most of their celebrated games were directed; and the youth who participated in these, while they afforded to the moral philosopher examples of patriotic and generous emulation, furnished also to the painter and the statuary the finest models of the human form, and to the natural historian some curious results of the effect of external agents in promoting the growth and activity of the animal economy. It may be stated, in general terms, that the efforts of the athleta were directed so to regulate their diet, exercise and sleep, as to produce the greatest possible strength of action and power of endurance; and we have the testimony of an inspired writer, that they who were ambitious of a crown of victory in the Grecian games, were temperate in all things." In our own time, this art of bringing up the human constitution to its highest pitch of muscular vigor, and capability of enduring fatigue, pain and hardship, has been brought almost to a science; and though the ends to which it is commonly directed are far from sublime or virtuous, being principally those of prize-fighting, or walking for a wager, the whole process, and its results, present some curious facts in physiology, and illustrate in a very striking manner the importance of a well-regulate diet and regimen as a means of preserving health and increasing the vigor of the constitution under all circumstances; and the important service a well-directed system of training would render to the dyspeptic, and others laboring under chronic affections, or under a general reduction of the powers of life, produced by irregular or sedentary lives.

In a course of training, the great point is to regulate carefully the diet, and to give such food, as is at once nutritive and easily digested. As we have repeatedly stated in different parts of this work, animal food is the most nourishing, but requires a due proportion of vegetable aliment, to prevent bad effects from it on the constitution. Beef, mutton and venison are the most easily digested kinds of meat, and hence are almost the only kinds of animal food allowed to those who are under a course of training; the young of animals, as veal and lamb, and fat or oily food, as pork, are deficient either in their powers of nutrition or digestibility, and consequently are entirely forbidden. The vegeta

bles allowed are potatoes, brocoli or turnips, and stale bread or crackers. Pastry, pies and puddings are to be avoided, and all the varieties of spices and sauces. Vinegar and salt are the only condiments allowed. The quantity of food cannot be specified; it must vary with the constitution of each individual.

The drink allowed in training is pure soft water. If wine is taken, it should be only in very moderate quantity, largely diluted with water, and white is preferred to red. Spirits in any shape, either plain or diluted, are never allowed, under any circumstances whatever.

The most essential particular in the art of training, is to regulate the exercise, and to take plenty of it. Both within and without doors, active exercise of various kinds must be taken. Walking, riding, fenc

ing, quoits, tennis-ball, the dumb-bells, may all be practiced. As long as the perspiration is moderate and not debilitating, exercise may be persevered in from four to six hours a day, with the most decided increase of general health and muscular vigor. A free exposure to pure air is an essential requisite. The novitiate in training is recommended to go to bed early, and to sleep from seven to eight hours.

The above precepts contain the principal means for raising the body to its highest degree of health and perfection; and the diligent practice of them must, as experience testifies, have the best effects on the expansion and motions of the chest, on the development of the mus cles, on the function of digestion, and on all the secretions of the body. Bleeding. The artificial abstraction of blood is often resorted to by persons in health, either to prevent the formation of too much blood in the system, or more generally with the pretense of preventing disease. But such a practice is in the highest degree improper; it can answer neither end; on the contrary, it is attended, if it be statedly or repeatedly resorted to, with the most injurious effects.

Persons so constituted as to make much blood, should carefully avoid all those causes which tend to augment it, especially an indulgence in animal food, wine and malt liquors: and when they are sensible of a considerable increase in the quantity, they should confine themselves to a light, frugal diet, consisting principally of vegetables, or for a time solely of bread and water-should sleep but very moderately, and take much active exercise. Nothing can be more opposed to reason and experience, than for such individuals to have recourse occasionally to the abstraction of blood by the use of the lancet, or cupping-glasses, in order to prevent too considerable a formation of this fluid; for habitual blood-letting invariably begets, under such circumstances, an habitual overfullness of the vessels, which calls incessantly for a repetition of the same supposed remedy. Some persons are in the habit of being bled every spring or fall, or at both these seasons; but, however robust the constitution, this is not a practice to be recommended, since, like all other periodical or repeated bleedings, it proves only a palliative remedy, which sooner or later greatly enervates the body, deranges its functions, induces a premature old age, and calls for a more frequent resort to the operation.

Habit. This term, when applied to corporeal subjects, signifies the effect of frequent repetition in facilitating the performance of certain motions or trains of actions. A conspicuous illustration of the power of habit, is seen in the practice of musicians on various instruments. To play on any of these, required at first the closest attention of the mind, to exert the power of volition in directing the various muscular motions required; but by habit, those motions return in their proper order, without the slightest apparent effort; and even while the performer can think and talk on other subjects. When a child begins to learn the art of reading, the form of every letter, and the power of every syllable, demand his attention; but in maturer years, the eye glances over the page with the rapidity and certainty of instinct, and seizes the words before it, without the consciousness of an effort. The effects of custom or habit on the mind and body, are interesting in a

metaphysical, ethical and physiological point of view. We are all the creatures of habit, and our circles of action, as Dr. Darwin calls them, return with astonishing and noiseless regularity. When the time of meals or of sleep arrives, though the stomach be not empty, nor the limbs fatigued, though the mind be occupied with other things, the usual sensation of hunger or drowsiness comes on, and we feel the want of something to which we have been accustomed. The repetition of certain motions, renders the muscles that perform them quick and strong, or prompt and steady in their action; hence the dexterity and skill of the watch-maker or philosophical instrument maker; hence the ease of the mechanical part of their art to the painter or sculptor; and the steadiness of the limbs and acuteness of vision of the mason and sailor, in the execution of their perilous occupations.

Good habits, early begun, contribute much to the preservation of the health. Early rising, temperate meals, and regularity in the alvine discharges, when early practiced and diligently persevered in, will give a degree of comfort and vigor unknown to the irregular and careless liver. Infants can very soon be taught the habit of feeding and of performing the usual evacuations at regular times. The action of medicines on the living body is much influenced by habit. A person who is accustomed to take emetics or purgatives requires, after a time, to have their quantity increased, and the opium-taker and dram-drinker require their poison to be either augmented in quantity or activity to produce the usual effects. By habit the most nauseous substances lose their disagreeable effects, and even infectious principles lose, to a certain extent, their power. Thus, the use of tobacco becomes a luxury, and prisoners have been known to occasion fevers in others by bringing an infectious miasm from their cells, where they themselves had been in the habit of inhaling it with impunity.

Idiosyncrasy is a peculiarity of constitution, rendering a person liable to be affected by certain agents differently from the generality of mankind. Thus, some persons are incapable of using butter or cheese; some are purged by honey; others cannot wear flannel without intolerable irritation of the skin; some have a violent fever and eruption, produced by the use of certain kinds of fish, or certain fruits, or malt liquors. Some people have idiosyncrasies with respect to medicines. Thus, opium and calomel have such very distressing or violent effects on some patients that they cannot be used by them as by others. Idiosyncrasies are to be discovered only by experience in each individual case, and where they are matters of indifference, it is needless to waste time in combating them; but where they may lead to disease, or interfere with methods of cure, a prudent physician will endeavor, if possible,

to correct them.

FURNITURE AND RURAL STRUCTURES OF IRON.

THERE are several large manufactories of these articles in various parts of the country, and among the largest of them is that of Hutchinson & Wickersham, 312 Broadway, New York, who furnish all the articles here named, and, for the convenience of our readers, we have procured and appended the prices at this establishment, as the knowledge of the cost is an important desideratum to those who wish to procure them.*

GRAPE CHAIR.

MORNING-GLORY CHAIR.

* HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE.-Among the various kinds of iron chairs, we may enumerate the " grape chair," $5 to $6, the "morning-glory chair," and the two hall chairs, each $4.50, the preceding being of cast-iron; and the following wire chairs, namely: the folding or traveling chair, $4.50-one figure representing it as closed for carrying, and the other as open and standing for use. The wire arm-chair is sold at $8.

Among the settees, the grape pattern, $9 to $15, is an especial favorite; the rustic settee, $10, is of lighter form, and the Gothic settee, $17 to $20, is best adapted to places where Gothic architecture prevails.

A neat umbrella-stand is shown, $1.50 to $6, and iron wash-stand, including crockery, $7, with looking-glass. A new and improved hat-tree is exhibited, $16 Many other forms of hat and umbrella stands are manufactured.

Iron bedsteads possess two most important advantages over those of wood-first, in their almost endless durability, and secondly in their entire freedom from bugs. They should, however, be substantially made, as the desire for a cheap article often induces a weak and flimsy structure, which does not stand firmly, and is liable to become bent by use. The one we present, when made of stout bars, is the simplest and one of the very best in use, although not so ornamental as some others, $4 to $6. Others of more elaborate patterns are made, $7 to $9. A crib is shown, the sides of which are left out, $10.

RURAL ORNAMENTS AND STRUCTURES.-Cast-iron vases are very durable ornaments on the more finished parts of grounds, and require only occasionally a small application of paint. We present a neat vase of this character, with its pedestal. The prices of these vases vary with their size, from $5 to $20, and the pedestals are about $5 each.-Annual Register.