KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



287 



The best part of this entertainment was, that it 

 not only gave pleasure at the time, but satisfaction 

 afterwards to all concerned. To the children 

 whose exertions had contributed to it, it afforded 

 a new — a higher pleasure than they had ever ex- 

 perienced; and to their parents it was a satisfaction 

 to think, that to those poorer children it might 

 supply a little stock of pleasant thoughts to glad- 

 den their future lives. And if they did not under- 

 stand all that was shown them that was beautiful 

 and curious, — still, seeing is believing — that there 

 is much to know, and this is something. 



With my young friends the Amyotts, too, that 

 evening afforded them a sight of something quite 

 new and strange, in those poor children to whom 

 the chance of birth had denied so many of their 

 own pleasures and advantages, many of whose 

 countenances were sadly dimmed by poverty and 

 early care. If amongst the spectators of their 

 museum there was none who were then inspired 

 with a desire to learn more about the curious shells, 

 butterflies, or stones — and this I cannot answer 

 for — I can at least assert that in the after lives 

 of my young friends, this first meeting with their 

 poor neighbors was of much influence ; for from 

 that time the welfare of the poor began to be felt 

 by them to be closely connected with their own 

 duties in life. 



In this manner that happy entertainment was 

 looked back upon as an important event in the 

 history of the Amyotts' Home, and formed an 

 epoch in their Childhood's Life. 



It is from the perusal of books like these, 

 that children get sound practical wisdom. 

 Only set them " thinking," and at a very early 

 age they will perceive the difference between 

 pride and innocence, ignorance and virtue. 

 Strong contrasts seldom fail to produce good 

 effects upon a well cultivated mind. 



The Memoirs of a Stomach. Written 



by Himself. Fourth Edition. 12mo. 



Painter. 



We did fair justice to this clever and 

 sensible little volume on its first appearance ; 

 recommending its perusal by young and old, 

 rich and poor. That recommendation has 

 not been without effect ; as we remark with 

 pleasure. 



The author, — "A Minister of the Interior," 

 goes deeply into the victualling department ; 

 and tells us naively what should enter the 

 human stomach, and what should not. He 

 records the penalty attending transgression, 

 and very fairly as well as humorously purveys 

 for our pleasures and enjoyments at the well- 

 spread table. His book should circulate 

 everywhere. We trust it will do so. 



But let us listen to his seasonable advice 

 about — 



diet, regularity of meals, &c. 



The next rule worthy of the valetudinarian's 

 attention is care in the selection of diet; and be 

 assured I am the proper authority to consult 

 upon this subject. Regularity of meals is another 

 essential point, for I can work with great vigor 



when I am called upon to do so at stated, and 

 tolerably certain intervals. Exercise, too, is a 

 sine qua non; for the entire internal machinery 

 becomes clogged unless a healthy waste of the 

 system is produced by walking or riding. Over- 

 fatigue, however, is my abhorrence, since my atten- 

 tion is then distracted from my own particular 

 duties. Mastication is another highly important 

 item in my economy, and the dental organs may be 

 considered as the teeth of the wonderful internal 

 mill, which is neither worked by wind nor water. 

 Indeed, in a jocose way I understand teeth are 

 called " grinders," though they do not grind, but 

 bruise. This preliminary process of comminuting 

 food and mixing it with saliva, is to me a subject of 

 deep interest : for my own labors are considerably 

 increased or diminished by a proper or improper 

 performance of this act of grace. The better the 

 teeth perform their part, the sweeter is my temper 

 during digestion ; so take warning all ye who 

 bolt your food, for by so doing you bolt in acidity 

 and ill humors.* 



The next dietetic rule I desire you to observe 

 is, never to dine by yourself. I rejoice beyond 

 measure in listening to conversation during dinner; 

 for generally thereby I became au courant with the 

 news of the day, and get an idea of how the 

 world wags. The custom of reading a periodical 

 or newspaper, however light and amusing, is no 

 substitute for conversation at feeding time, for 

 there is nothing so tantalising to a stomach of an 

 inquiring mind as to be compelled to work, and 

 not be made the while a recipient of the news 

 which is imbibed by his lord and master. Occa- 

 sionally, during dinner, I have found myself 

 suddenly shaken by a poverty-stricken sort of 

 laugh, without knowing what the joke was about; 



* The preliminary part of digestion depends 

 much upon nervous energy, which may be greatly 

 augmented by external circumstances. The 

 moment food is swallowed it is changed into a 

 kind of pulp or pap called chyme ; and this con- 

 version is owing to the electric action of eight 

 pair of nerves, which decomposing the salt always 

 mixed with food naturally, and generally arti- 

 ficially, muriatic acid is set free and dissolves the 

 mass. Now the reason that eating a heavy meal 

 like that of dinner in your own society is 

 injurious, arises from thought being engendered 

 by solitude, and thus detracting from the energy 

 of those nerves which act upon the assimilation of 

 food. Hence, bad news deprives us of appetite, 

 and the reverse increases it. Hence, why men of 

 sedentary habits so often suffer after eating, and 

 why fatigue just before a meal is so injurious. 

 The nervous vigor cannot be fully at work in 

 two places at once ; so, when you are going to eat, 

 it is as well to concentrate it in the digestive 

 regions. Salt, besides what we derive from the 

 saliva, and what is adherent in food, is positively 

 essentia], though if taken in excess, the excess of 

 muriatic acid will do injury. Scurvy is produced 

 by the undue consumption of salted meat, and 

 lemon juice is a specific. May not this be owing 

 to the acid aiding the galvanic action of the 

 nerves just mentioned, and thus assisting 

 digestion? Surely this hypothesis, crude as it 

 may appear, is at least worthy of the physician's 

 attention. 



