DIGESTION AND FOOD. 79 



of the evil passions anger and envy should ever be al- 

 lowed to come to the table. All great and severe thought, all 

 labored discussions, and matters of business, should be ban- 

 ished thence, and light and cheerful conversation take their 

 places. The lively play of the social affections, the pleasant 

 intercourse of family and friends, the enlivening flow of wit 

 and humor, keep the brain in action, but not in labor 

 With these, the blood moves more freely, and the nervous 

 energies flow more joyously, and the work of digestion is 

 moie readily begun, and more easily carried on, and they 

 should ever be present at our meals. 



167. The eating hour is the time to cultivate the social 

 nature. This harmonizes well with the lively flow of spirits 

 that aids the digestive process. It is better, therefore, not to 

 eat alone, nor even in silence. The solemn stillness that 

 reigns over the table of some families, the unbroken quiet- 

 ness which a stern but mistaken discipline imposes upon some 

 children, are at variance with the best interests of the time. 

 They lay a weight upon the brain, a burden upon the spirit, 

 and prevent that quickening which social cheerfulness would 

 give to the stomach. 



158. These several steps and conditions of digestion, of 

 nutrition, and strengthening, were established by the Creator. 

 They are among the very laws of our being, and cannot be 

 changed. The only way we can gain the most strength for 

 labor of any sort, is by perfect obedience to these laws, and 

 fulfilment of these conditions. All failure of this must result 

 in loss, and defeat the very purpose for which they are vio- 

 lated. The loss is immediate in the depreciation of power, 

 greater or less, in proportion to the delinquency. The loss 

 is also accumulative and remote, because the stomach itself 

 loses power to do its ordinary duty when unnatural burdens 

 are imposed upon it, or when it is not allowed the requisite 

 aid to bear them. 



169. The first consequence of neglect of these laws of 

 eating is, an imperfect nutrition, a comparative weakness at 

 the time, inability to accomplish, with the brain or the 



