50 THE HOUSE I LIVE IN. 



AN ABUSE. I have said that these two 

 great bones are united by a very strong carti- 

 lage. This is true ; but it is also true that 

 while we are young, and even after we are 

 older, if we have lived temperately, this carti- 

 lage, which is very thick, will stretch or yield 

 much more than you would at first suppose 

 possible. It is of very great importance to 

 everybody- though much more so to some 

 than to others to preserve the soft and yield- 

 ing nature of these cartilages as long as possi- 

 ble. To do this, you must run about and play 

 much while young ; not with violence, but like 

 the lamb ; you must labor moderately every 

 day, as . you grow older ; you must rise with 

 the lark, and go to bed almost as early as the 

 fowls ; you must breathe pure air ; your drink 

 must be water, and your food must be of the 

 plainest and purest kinds, and not in excessive 

 quantity and must be well chewed. Then 

 may you hope to preserve your bones and car- 

 tilages in a good and healthy state till you are 

 quite old. But some of these things will be 

 adverted to again in other chapters. 



