[ 36s ] 



liquors, and a certain proportion appears to be al- 

 lowable and even neceflary for perfons who undergo 

 hard labour. But the healthy quantity is apt to be 

 exceeded when opportunity offers, and excefs of this 

 kind is more hurtful than a defect of fuch gratifi- 

 cations. I need not here enlarge on the confe- 

 quence of drunkennefs to health. Fevers, dropfies, 

 confumptions, apoplexies, and many other miferable 

 diforders, are well known to follow fuch a courfe. 

 The want of money among labouring people, in- 

 deed often prevents the bad effects of a habit of this 

 kind, but occafional opportunities occur which are 

 laid hold on with great avidity ; and it is far from 

 uncommon to find death the immediate follower of 

 fuch licentious indulgence. 



Diet, however, is not the only article which fuch 

 perfons are liable to carry to excefs. It is common 

 to fee exertions of a more liberal kind purfued to 

 too great length. The caprice of emulation will 

 often produce inftances of labour, which duty, and 

 the urgency of circumftances, might in vain folicit. 

 The burfting offome of the blood-vefTels, particu- 

 larly thofe of the head, lungs, or ftomach, nephritic 

 complaints, and inteftinal ruptures, have all of them 

 followed fuch ill-judged and ollentatious difplay of 

 flrength and corporeal abilities. 



Direftions 



