254 RIDING FOR LADIES. 



it grows cold, and then descends, to be breathed and re- 

 breathed by the animal over and over again. I cannot get 

 persons to believe this, or even to understand it. The 

 rooms that they themselves occupy are at times positive 

 hotbeds of unwholesomeness — every window shut tight, 

 doors likewise shut and often heavily curtained, while sand- 

 bags are employed in various directions to exclude every 

 breath of fresh air. Such persons sleep all night long in a 

 vitiated atmosphere, and think that they are doing wonders 

 if, in the event of the morning being excessively bright and 

 fine, they open a little bit of the window /"r^w the bottom. 

 To tell them that this is injurious would have no effect 

 whatever ; it is comfortable, feels warm, at least — and what 

 matter about the rest ? " New-fangled notions : nothing 

 else " — and so on, and so forth. 



Impure air in stables is one of the evils to be most 

 guarded against. There may be openings large enough to 

 admit a certain quantity of fresh air, but they are of little 

 use unless there are others also for the purpose of letting 

 out that which has been already breathed, before it has had 

 time to grow cool. 



The best windows by far, both for lighting and venti- 

 lating, are ordinary sash-windows, well constructed, and 

 reaching quite to the ceiling. These should be made to open 

 readily at top and bottom, and should be fitted with cords 

 and pulleys of the very best description. I know, of course, 

 all the modern appliances off by heart, and am quite ready 

 to admit the excellence of some of them — indeed, many — 

 but for general all-round usefulness I prefer the kind that 



