254 MENTAL AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE. 



ever, merely on account of the muscular exercise, or the 

 wholesome air, but because there is a constant succession 

 of new and exciting objects, which as constantly exercises 

 the mind, and without requiring so much attention as at any 

 time to create mental fatigue. Such a degree of mental 

 excitement, with the muscular exercise, and pure atmo- 

 sphere of the country, undoubtedly conspire to form a train 

 of invigorating means hardly to be expected from any 

 which can be employed at home. 



801. It is entirely in consequence of the action of the 

 brain thus excited, or the employment of the mind, ty the 

 succession of new objects, that a journey produces such 

 different results on the health of the invalid, from that to 

 be obtained by ihe employment of the same amount of the 

 same kind of exercise at one place. The fact itself, is well 

 known, otherwise why do physicians order their patients to 

 take journeys far from home, when with respect to the 

 comforts and habits of life, they could be much better pro- 

 vided for there, than abroad. Why not then ride thirty or 

 forty miles a day, one way or another, and sleep at home, 

 to which every invalid is attached, and to most of whom 

 the leaving of their beds, rooms, and families, is such a trial 

 as is often not easily to be overcome. From all we have 

 said of the connexion which exists between the brain and 

 muscles, the reason is obvious why little or no improvement 

 may be expected from such exercise. The patient expects 

 nothing new he has already seen over and over again all 

 that he expects to see during his ride ; he therefore begins 

 his daily task without excitement, and going through it 

 without interest, arrives at the place whence he started, 

 i'atigued in body and mind, and discouraged not only because 

 he finds no improvement, but because he dreads the idea of 

 having to perform the same task on the morrow. - 



802. On the contrary, during a journey, there is a con- 

 stant change of scenery, or of objects, or of persons, which 



*is just sufficient to keep the mind in gentle and salubrious 

 excitement, and which acting through the brain, supplies 

 the muscular system with the requisite degree of ner- 

 vous power, and thus the two systems (the muscular 

 and nervous) are kept in a state of pleasant and healthy 

 equilibrium, which conspires gradually to bring both into 

 a condition of firmness and health. The patient, after 



