1889 ALCOHOL AND BRAIN WORK 121 



but there are mysteries of godliness and mysteries of 

 iniquity. 



Have you been to see the sculptures in the Louvre ? — 

 dear me, I forgot the Louvre's fate. I wonder where the 

 sculpture is ? I used to think it the best thing in the 

 way of art in Paris. There was a youthful Bacchus who 

 was the main support of my thesis as to the greater 

 beauty of the male figure ! 



Probably I had better conclude. 



To Mr. K T. Collings (of Bolton) 



4 Marlborough Place, 

 April 9, 1889. 



Dear Sir — I understand that you ask me what I 

 think about "alcohol as a stimidant to the brain in 

 mental work " ? 



Speaking for myself (and perhaps I may add for 

 persons of my temperament), I can say, without hesitation, 

 that I would just as soon take a dose of arsenic as I 

 would of alcohol, under such circumstances. Indeed on 

 the whole, I should think the arsenic safer, less likely 

 to lead to physical and moral degradation. It would 

 be better to die outright than to be alcoholised before 

 death. 



If a man cannot do brain work without stimulants 

 of any kind, he had better turn to hand work — it is 

 an indication on Nature's part that she did not mean 

 him to be a head worker. 



The circumstances of my life have led me to experience 

 all sorts of conditions in regard to alcohol, from total 

 abstinence to nearly the other end of the scale, and my 

 clear conviction is the less the better, though I by no 

 means feel called upon to forgo the comforting and 

 cheering effect of a little. 



But for no conceivable consideration would I use it to 



