594 Of th e Salubrity of Warm Bathing. 



delicate, and making me more liable to take cold on 

 exposing myself in the cold air, I should certainly find 

 myself strengthened by it, and my constitution ren- 

 dered more robust. 



The first direct proofs I had that this advantageous 

 change had actually taken place in me were accidental, 

 and it was probably that discovery which induced and 

 encouraged me to expose myself voluntarily to more 

 severe trials. 



I had, from the time of my first arrival at Harrow- 

 gate, been in a habit of retiring to my room towards 

 evening every day, where I commonly spent an hour 

 or more in reading or writing ; and, as I never had any 

 fire in my room, I frequently felt myself quite chilled 

 by the cold of the evening. At this time I bathed 

 only once in three days ; but, after I had begun to go 

 into the bath before dinner, I soon found that I was 

 much less sensible to the cold of the evening on those 

 days when I bathed, than on those when I did not 

 bathe. 



It was the discovery of this interesting fact which 

 contributed much, and perhaps more than any thing 

 else, to induce me to take the resolution (which was 

 considered as very violent and unadvised) of going 

 into the bath every second day, and afterwards every 

 day. 



After I had continued to bathe every day for some 

 time, I no longer felt the smallest inconvenience from 

 the cold of the evening, though I frequently sat in my 

 room with the windows open when the weather was 

 very cold and chilly, till it was so dark that I could 

 neither see to read nor to write ; and when I joined 

 the company below I felt myself in high spirits, and 



