An EJ/ay on Longevity. 343 



As to clothing, much mud depend on (ituation and cli- 

 mate * ; but, on the whole, it is generally found a ufeful 

 practice to wear woollens next the fkin. It is remarked in 

 many parts of Scotland, that fince the ufe of flannel fhirts 

 has been given up by the lower orders, the rheumatifm, 

 and other difeafes formerly unknown, have become very fre- 

 quent, and are daily increafmg. In the Weft India Iflands, 

 if care be taken to make the troops wear flannel fhirts, they 

 are likely to be exempted from various diforders, which other- 

 wife would probably have attacked them. Even the negroes 

 themfelves, I underftand, prefer flannel to cotton or linen, 

 and find it a much more comfortable and ufeful drefs. In re- 

 gard to clothing fuited to the climate of Great Britain, there is 

 reafon to believe that we ufe furs much feldomer than we 

 ought to do. Nothing can be more abfurd than to confider 

 the ufe of fur as a mark of effeminacy, and on that account 

 to fuppofe that it is merely calculated for delicate women. 

 In the piercing cold to which we are often fubjecled, furs 

 might be worn with much advantage by the ftouteft and 

 hardieft men. 



The nature of the houfe where any individual refides, is a 

 very important confideration. Formerly they were very ill 

 fitted up, and were what would now be confidered extremely 

 uncomfortable. It was faid of old, that no houfe was whole- 

 fome " where a dog could not get in under the door, or a 

 bird through the window." There was then no ufe for ven- 

 tilators. The cafe is now much altered. The art of finifh- 

 ing houfes clofely, and the management of fuel, have been 

 brought to fuch perfection, as greatly to exclude a free circu- 

 lation of air, and to overheat that which the room contains. 

 From the great expenfe of building and fitting up houfes, alfo, 

 the apartments in them are in general much fmaller and lefs 

 lofty than they ought to be. As it is impoifible to make any 

 great alteration in thefe particulars, more efpecially in the 

 metropolis, and in large towns, which contain fo large a pro- 

 portion of the population of the kingdom, the only remedies 

 ape, to ventilate the houfes whenever the weather will admit 

 of it; and for the inhabitants of towns to be as much in the 

 open air, and as frequently in the country, as circumflances 

 will permit f. 



* S.-e an EiTav, Philofophical and Medical, by Dr. Vaughan, concern- 

 ing Modern Clothing. Printed an. 179:. 



f It has been remarked, that perfons refiding in Scotland in fummer, and 

 in England in winter, generally enjoy excellent health ; and it is believed 

 that nothing would tend more to promote the health or the citizens of 

 London, than an annual excurficn to the mountains of Wales, or the 

 higi'ands of Scotland . 



, Vol. XIII. No. 51. R In 



