LIFE IN THE HOUSE n 



apostle had his favourite doctrines and his own way of 

 teaching, but there was a general agreement that fashion- 

 able conventions must be defied, and simple modes of 

 living restored. Fresh air, cold water, exercise, temper- 

 ance in eating and drinking, light clothing and free ex- 

 posure of the skin to the air, abstinence from drugs and 

 rational methods of early education were chief among the 

 reforms proposed. Most of those who taught the Return 

 to Nature counted themselves among the disciples of 

 Rousseau. Rousseau, however, though he handed on the 

 torch glowing with fresh ardour, did not kindle it. The 

 best part of what he had to teach concerning health- 

 practices he learned from Dr. Theodore Tronchin of Geneva, 

 who is still remembered as Voltaire's physician. A sober 

 and practical Swiss made the discovery, sober and practical 

 Englishmen became its zealous exponents, but the inter- 

 mediary between them was the most flighty of senti- 

 mentalists. 



I will say no more about hygienic progress, but will go 

 on with the animals and plants of the house, which are 

 more in my way. Let us first run over them rapidly, in 

 order to get a rough notion of their number and variety ; 

 afterwards we can consider some few in more detail. 



A large and well-found house will very likely contain 

 all the following vertebrates, with perhaps some additions 

 or substitutes : dog, cat, canary, gold-fish, rat, mouse. 

 Among these the dog occupies a peculiar place ; he has 

 come of his own accord, for purposes of his own. The 

 dog, it is probable, attached himself to man for the sake 

 of food and shelter, made himself useful, and was allowed 

 to stay. Food and shelter were not all that he wanted ; 

 his instincts demanded a companion and master as well. 

 He came, we suppose, as a thief and a parasite ; in the 

 end he established himself as a servant and comrade. 

 There is no other domestic animal on the same footing. 



The cat is on less confidential terms with us. She 

 would never have come to the house of her own accord ; 



