LETTERS TO BROTHER JOHN. 223 



he would immediately suffer by excessive stimulation, 

 being sufficiently stimulated by the blood before 

 he became submitted to the action of these addi- 

 tional stimuli. But, foreseeing this evil, Nature 

 has so ordered it, that the stimulating properties of 

 the blood are alone insufficient; and this insuffi- 

 ciency of stimulation is made up to the necessary 

 amount by the adventitious stimuli afforded by the 

 nature of the circumstances with which he is sur- 

 rounded, and which he is pleased to denominate 

 " discomforts." To remove these circumstances, 

 therefore, is to remove a certain number of the 

 stimuli which are absolutely necessary to the healthy 

 activity of the living actions. 



You will now clearly understand what I meant, 

 when I said that our so-called " discomforts " are 

 the necessary whips and spurs which keep the living 

 energies awake. You will also now see how it is, 

 that what we call " comforts " operate upon us like 

 opiates; since, to acquire a "comfort," is only to 

 remove a "discomfort"; and to remove what keeps 

 us awake, is the same thing as to administer what 

 will send us to sleep. 



The indulgences, therefore, wherewith even 

 young and healthy men indulge themselves the 

 " comforts," as they call them, of flannel, warm 



