396 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



posed to be heir to can be kept from troubling by approximating to 

 the rules of life which a wild animal has to follow in the matter of a 

 simple, and often spare diet, hard exercise and exposure to the open air. 

 There is nothing more fallacious than the supposition commonly held 

 that over-feeding and over-coddling indoors promotes health. The two 

 together derange the natural functions of the body. He who seeks to 

 save his life will lose it. 



The body of a new-born babe is a glorious and perfect machine, the 

 heritage of millions of years of evolution. 



Not in entire forgetfulness, 



And not in utter nakedness, 



But trailing clouds of glory do we come. 



Shades of the prison house begin to close 

 Upon the growing Boy. 



The ill-conditioned body, anemic complexion and undersized 

 muscles, or the fat and gross habit, the decay of the teeth, the dis- 

 ordered digestion, the nervous irritability and unhappiness are the 

 result of " nurture " — not nature. In institutions children may be 

 disciplined to vigorous health. After leaving school they are set 

 adrift to face monotonous work in confined places, amusement in 

 music-halls and cinema shows in place of manly exercise in the open 

 air, injudicious diet, alcohol and tobacco — everything which the trainer 

 of an athlete would repel. 



And custom lie upon thee with a weight 

 Heavy as frost and deep almost as life. 



