THE REIGN OF TEMPERANCE.

201

and inferences, Oh, what constraining motives are here presented to the educated youth of our country, to adopt the principles of temperance, in their widest applications! What a mighty influence upon the destinies of our world, might the youth, even in the literary seminaries in this place, exert, if they could be persuaded, early and effectually, to incorporate these principles with all their habits, and be seen moving on, in an unbroken phalanx, in the holy war against intemperance. Oh, the light and influout into the world, and

ence, which they might thus send down to posterity, would not, like other emanations proceeding from a centre, spread and increase in the slow ratio of the square of the distance and the time; but in a ratio so high, that the quadratics of the millenium could alone express and resolve it.

* Not far from 400 Students, have for several years past, been connected with the College, Mount Pleasant Gymnasium, and the Academy, in this town.

PART II. REGIMEN.

LECTURE VI.

EXERCISE its comparative importance. Case of Dr. Dwight. * First-Second-Third-Fourth-Fifth-Sixth-Seventhand Eighth Rule concerning Exercise. Conclusion.

Definition.

IN commencing this lecture, Gentlemen, I enter upon the second principal branch of my subject: that is, Regimen. I have already stated what I shall consider as inclued in this term: viz. Exercise, Air, Clothing, Cleanliness, Evacuations, Sleep, Manners, and the Influence of the Imagination and Passions upon health. I am aware that some of these points cannot be arranged under Regimen with logical precision ; and that the term is often used by good writers, to include attention to diet. But there is a convenience in grouping together these subjects under this head; nor am I without good authority in so doing. Indeed, this term, signifying in general a rule, may be applied with a good deal of latitude.

Exercise.

The most important branch of regimen is exercise. And because I have urged the subject of diet with great earnestness and minuteness, let no one conclude that I am about to represent the other means of preserving health and curing nervous maladies, as comparatively unimportant. I have already stated, and I wish to reiterate the declaration, that

attention to diet alone, however rigid, will not avail as a substitute for exercise, or the other rules of regimen; either to preserve health, or to restore it. In many protracted cases of dyspeptic complaints especially, persevering, systemactic exercise takes the lead of all other means for recovery; and will succeed when dieting utterly fails. Hence Mr. Abernethy says, "he knows of no remedy for these complaints, but air and exercise."

Case of Dr. Dwight.

To evince the necessity of attention to exercise as well as diet, even for the most vigorous constitutions, we have an instructive example in Dr. Dwight of Yale College, while he was tutor in that institution. He reduced the quantity of food, first to twelve mouthfuls of meat at dinner, and then to the same of vegetable food; his other meals being proportionably light; neglecting at the same time nearly all active exercise. Within a year, his constitution was almost ruined. But by removing to Northampton, and there in the course of another year, taking upwards of 2000 miles of pedestrian exercise, and 3000 of equestrian, his vigor was restored and held out forty years.*

German scholars.

The inquiry will here probably be started, how is it, that many of the German scholars are able to sustain such long continued application to study, with so little exercise? I reply, that their vigorous constitutions, their early training to coarse and temperate diet, their perfect regularity, and perhaps more than all, their climate, do, indeed, enable some - almost to mock the rules of regimen: yet probably their application and neglect of exercise have been much exaggerated. At any rate, if Germans can live without exercise, Americans cannot: and he who attempts it, will only add another victim to the long catalogue of those in our

* See Dwights Life, prefixed to his Theology, p. 13.

ABUSE OF EXERCISE.

205

country, who have ignorantly or presumptuously tried the experiment, and found, as the consequence, an early grave.* True, they may hold out for a few years; but the seeds of disease are germinating in their constitutions, and will ultimately flourish with fearful luxuriance. The discerning eye reads in the pale and dull countenance of all such individuals, the secret progress of internal decay.

Need of exercise generally admitted.

At this day, however, there is scarcely any individual among the sedentary and the literary, who does not acknowledge, in general terms, the necessity of exercise. Now and then you will find one, indeed, who has the vanity and presumption to believe that he shall not fail, in repeating the experiment of Dr. Dwight; and that his genius is of so extraordinary a character, that it is his duty to devote all his time to study, lest the world should be cheated of some of the fruits of his mighty intellect. Very few also, have any accurate or just notions of the quantity of exercise they need, or of the time and manner in which it should be taken. Hence half enough is not taken; and much of the other half, is productive of injury instead of benefit. We need not wonder, therefore, at the multitude of pale, cadaverous countenances, that are seen at our colleges and preparatory schools.

Object of this Lecture.

My object at this time, is, to collect and define those general rules on the subject of exercise, which the experience of physicians and others have established; or in which the great majority are agreed. There is even less of disagreement on this subject, among those best qualified to judge, than upon dietetics: and, since I need not stop to prove the necessity of exercise, I trust I shall be able to

Homo edens sanus esse non potest, nisi etiam laborat.-Hippocrates DeDieta, Lib 1.