An mfay on Longevity. 245 



in favour of that practice; but the cafe is greatly altered 

 iince the means of obtaining artificial light to fo great an ex- 

 tent have been difcovered. I queftion much, whether the 

 morning air is fo wholefome as many imagine. The fun mod 

 neceffarily extract from the earth, when it firft appears, a va- 

 riety of vapours, which ftrong conftitutions may withftand;, 

 but which muft be injurious to weak ones : even in large 

 towns, it is fome time before the morning fogs are diffipauxi. 

 On the whole, late rifing cannot be approved of, but very early 

 rifing is not probably fo eiTential for health as is commonly 

 imagined. 



There is nothing that can tend more to long life than for a 

 perfon to obtain a complete command of his paffions, and in 

 particular to preferve his mind from being ruffled. Perhaps 

 there is no maxim more likely to promote good health, than 

 that of paying a proper attention to temper, temperance, and 

 Jleep. By good temper, the mind is preferved from difeale ; 

 and by temperance, the body ; and both the mind and the 

 body, when exhaufted, are again recruited and reftored to their 

 former ftrength by a fnfficient quantity of repofe. 



In fo variable a climate as that of the Britim Ifles, it is of 

 the utmofl importance to contrive the moft effectual means of 

 preventing various diforders ari fin g from checked perfpiration, 

 as colds, coughs, confumptions, fore throats, rheumatifms^ 

 &c. by which fomany thoufands are cut off every year. The 

 following hints are the refult of fome attention to that parti- 

 cular fubjeel:. 



1. It is generally acknowledged that the ufe of flannel next 

 the fkin is a great preservative againft catching cold, and all 

 the diforders connected therewith. This is a point fo well 

 eftabliflied that it is unneceffary to dwell upon it*. 



2. There is not a better mode of being able to withftand 

 the variablenefs of our climate, than to adopt the Spanifti 

 practice of wearing an under waiftcoat made of thin fhamoy 

 leather, which tends to preferve the body in an equal tempera- 

 ture. This is particularly ufeful when perfon s are in a weak 

 ftate after indifpofition, or are likely to be affected with rheu- 

 matic complaints. 



3. Many perfons are apt to be frequently attacked by com- 

 plaints in the throat, which may, in general, be prevented by 

 attention to the following circumftanecs. It is ufiul for per- 

 fons to make ufe of hot water for (having, the confequence of 



H The principal objection to wearing flannel is its tendency to excite too 

 greait perforation in bed ; but this is eafily obviated bv wearing a flannel 

 waiftcoat with buttons at the fhoulders, lo that it can be taken off at any 

 time without inconvenience. 



H Rj ■which 



