PREFACE. Xlll 



of the heart, and disease within the abdomen, as well as 

 of the brain itself, arise, 1 am certain, from unpleasant 

 passions of the mind." * 



To meet this state of life's necessary evils 

 Mr. Solly favours us with a question. He asks — 



" Would it not be far more manly, far nobler, far 

 more in accordance with the precepts of Christianity, if, 

 instead of smoking away our griefs, and stifling in the 

 pipe our angry passions, w^e met our difficulties with a 

 manly front, and conquered our evil tempers by the 

 force of our better nature ? Are not all troubles sent," 

 &c. 



Unquestionably, Mr. Solly ! But remember 

 the words of Job : — 



" Should a wise man utter vain knowledge and fill his 

 belly with the east wind? Should he reason with un- 

 profitable talk ? or with speeches wherewith he can do no 

 good?" — Joh XV. 2. 



It took you ten years, as you say in your first 

 letter, before you gave up smoking, and found 

 yourself "more manly, nobler, and more in 

 accordance with the precepts of Christianity." 

 Perhaps all of us will thus, in time, rise to your 



* Practice of Medicine, p. 36. 



