COMMUNICATIONS AND EXTRACTS. 91 



almost necessary to health in the imperfect atmosphere 

 of great towns. 



" The different mode of living on the Continent and 

 here, renders all arguments drawn from the effect of 

 smoking on foreigners, in favor of the habit, scarcely 

 applicable to the inhabitants of this island; though even 

 in Holland, according to the statement of that interest- 

 ing writer. Dr. Carlyon, this habit is fatal. It appears 

 to me, that it is our duty to discourage any habit that is 

 not conducive to health, and equally criminal to encou- 

 rage a habit which is liable to become a master and a 

 tyrant. 



" The gentry and aristocracy of this country must not 

 suppose that because the habit of smoking does not lead 

 in their case to drinking, that therefore it injures them 

 not. Hundreds of gentlemen smoke without drinking 

 mwre than they believe is conducive to health, and 

 smoking does not in their persons lead to intemperance. 

 But from this fact the habit is the more dangerously in- 

 sidious. Its ill effects are less easily observed ) the habit 

 advances in intensity without their perceiving any objec- 

 tion to it ) but the penalty is paid nevertheless, and an 

 untimely grave is often the result. 



" One of the best riders to hounds in England, who 

 never smokes, told me that he required much less sleep 

 than his friends, almost all of whom smoke ; and that 

 they often remarked with astonishment how fresh he 

 always was in the morning, notwithstanding late hours, 

 champagne, &c. That gallant soldier. General Mark- 

 ham, whose life was sacrificed to his hasty journey from 

 India, nev?r smoked himself, nor would he allow any of 



