290 PHYSIOLOGY AND HEALTH. 



feeble, bat not sick. Pie was advised by his physician to set 

 out upon a journey on foot, but was cautioned not to walk 

 at any time until exhausted. He began his journey in the 

 morning, and, with short exertions and frequent rest, he 

 walked three miles on the first day, and was fatigued. The 

 next morning, to his surprise, he felt more vigo.r and courage 

 to go on, and started again. He walked on that day, in the 

 same manner, and accomplished four miles before night. 

 He thus gained strength and energy, day by day, adding little 

 to little, and finally walked to Niagara Falls more than 

 five hundred miles. After viewing these to his satisfaction, 

 he returned, in a much shorter time than he went. But he 

 did not return by a direct course. He visited the interesting 

 places in the neighborhood of his homeward route, and at 

 the end of his sixth week, he reached home, having walked 

 more than a thousand miles in forty-two days. On the last 

 day he had walked forty miles, and was so little fatigued 

 with the day's journey, that in the evening he felt sufficient 

 energy to visit his young friends in the neighborhood. 



669 There is a common notion, that, as great action 

 gives . strength to the strong, it will do the same for the 

 weak; therefore the debilitated student and the languid child 

 of the city, who have become so feeble as to be unable to 

 carry on their studies or attend to their sedentary business 

 in the counting-room, are advised to leave their occupations, 

 and x go into the country, and work with the farmers. They 

 commence their labors with zealous courage; but they soon 

 give up. They find that they are exhausted by the work, 

 which the practised laborer accomplishes without apparent 

 exertion or fatigue. Instead of being invigorated, they are 

 weakened, and they abandon too frequently all hope of 

 recruiting their wasted powers by muscular exercise. But 

 if, instead of attempting to mow, plough, or dig, for several 

 hours in succession, they undertake the lightest work, and 

 do this for a few minutes or an hour or two, with fre- 

 quent, and perhaps long intervals of rest, they gain power 

 HS the pedestrian just now described. 



