28 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Read, therefore, whatever tends to instruct you in your business, to 
establish in yon good habits, and to fit you for the responsible du¬ 
ties of life. Acquaint yourselves with the inventions and improve¬ 
ments of modern art. “ Make yourselves acquainted with the gene¬ 
ral facts of science, with the wondrous laws by whicn the Almighty 
governs all around us; and with the endless illustrations of these 
laws, in the world and in all its parts. The facts of natural history 
will afford abundant matter for agreeable and useful knowledge, 
The plants, the animals, the minerals, the soils, of your country and 
of other countries; the changes of the seasons; the make and com¬ 
position of all that surrounds you, duly observed, and made the sub, 
ject of reading, of conversation, of reflection, will at once store your 
mind, and raise your ideas of the wisdom and goodness of Him, who, 
it will soon be perceived, has made all things ‘ by number, weight 
and measure.’ The study of your own frame, your bodily make and 
constitution, may be made an object at once of interest, instruction 
and benefit. Early may you be brought to perceive, in the very 
constitution of your own bodies, much of your duty enjoined by Him 
who formed you such as you are. Temperance, self-government, 
moderation, avoidance of all abuse of the body, are written in the 
very make of the body itself. And it will hence plainly appear, that 
when our Maker says, abstain from all intemperance, from all im¬ 
purity, he does but say, “Do thyself no harm.” “Who aims at 
excellence will be above mediocrity; who aims at mediocrity will 
fall short of it.” 
HINTS ON DIET. 
“ An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure." 
A reasonable indulgence in the abundant supplies of nature, con¬ 
verted by art to the purposes of wholesome food, is one of the com¬ 
forts added to the maintenance of life. It is an indiscriminate gra¬ 
tification of our tastes, regardless of the consequences that may en¬ 
sue from it, that is alone biameable. But so great is our general 
apathy in these respects, that even on the occurrence of diseases, 
from which we are all more or less sufferers, we scarcely ever re¬ 
flect on our diet, as the principal, if not the sole cause of them.— 
We assign them to weather, to infection, to hereditary descent, to 
spontaneous breeding, as if a disease could originate without a 
cause ; or to any frivolous imaginary source, without suspecting, or 
being willing to own, mismanagement of ourselves, 
We derive the renewal of our blood and juices, which are con¬ 
stantly exhausting, from the substances we take as food. As our 
food, therefore, is proper or improper, too much or too little, so will 
our blood and juices be good or bad, overcharged or deficient, and 
our state of health accordingly good or diseased. 
By aliment, or food, is to be understood whatever we eat or 
drink, including seasonings, such as salt, sugar, spices, vinegar, &c. 
every thing, in short, which we receive into our stomachs. Our 
food, therefore, consists not only of such particles as are proper for 
the nourishment and support of the human body, but, likewise con¬ 
tains certain active principles, viz. salts, oils, and spirits, which have 
the properties of stimulating the solids, quicken ng the circulation, 
and making the fluids thinner ; thus rendering them more suited to 
undergo the necessary secretions of the body. 
The art of preserving health, and obtaining long life, consists in 
the use of a moderate quantity of such diet, as shall neither in¬ 
crease the salts and oils, so as to produce disease, nor diminish them, 
so as to suffer the solids to become relaxed. 
It is very difficult, almost impossible, to ascertain what are the 
predominant qualities either in our bodies or in the food we eat. In 
practice, therefore, we can have no other rule but observing by ex¬ 
perience what it is that hurts or does us good, and what it is our 
stomachs can digest with facility, or the contrary. 
The eating too little is hurtful, as well as eating too much. Nei¬ 
ther excess, nor hunger, nor any thing else that passes the bounds 
of nature, can be good to man. 
By loading the stomach, fermentation is checked, and of course 
digestion impeded; for the natural juice of the stomach has not 
room to exert itself, and it therefore nauseates its contents, is trou¬ 
bled with eructations, the spirits are oppressed, obstructions ensue, 
and fever is the consequence. Besides, that when thus overfilled, 
the stomach presses on the diaphragm, prevents the proper play of 
the lungs, and occasions uneasiness in our breathing. Hence arise 
various ill symptoms and depraved effects, enervating the strength, 
decaying the senses, hastening old age, and shortening life. Though 
these effects are not immediately perceived, yet they are certain 
effects of intemperance; for it has been generally observed in great 
eaters, that, though from custom, a state of youth, and a strong con¬ 
stitution, they have no present inconvenience, but have digested 
their food, suffered surfeit, and borne their immoderate diet well, if 
they have not been unexpectedly cut off, they have found the symp¬ 
toms of old age come on early in life, attended with pains and innu¬ 
merable disorders. 
[ If we value our health, we must ever make it a rule not to eat 
to satiety or fulness, but desist while the stomach feels quite easy. 
Thus we shall be refreshed, light and cheerful; not dull, heavy, or 
indisposed. Should we be tempted to eat too much at one time, we 
should eat the less at another. Thus, if our dinner has been larger 
than usual, let our supper be less, or rather, quite omitted ; for there 
is no man, however careful of his health, who does not occasionally 
transgress in this way. 
These studies are as food to us in our youth—they delight us in 
more advanced years—they are ornaments to a prosperous state— 
they afford us comfort and refuge in adversity—they amuse us at 
home—they are unembarrassing to us when abroad—they pass our 
nights with us—they accompany us in our travels, and in our rural 
retirement.— Cicero. Coming from such authority, what a strong 
incentive this passage should be to all young persons, to cultivate 
their minds, by application to literary pursuits. 
The COMMON SCHOOL ASSISTANT, a monthly publication of eight 
quarto pages, conducted by J. Orville Taylor, and devoted to the improve¬ 
ment of Common Schools and the education of teachers, is published at No. 
71 State-street, at fifty cents per annum, in advance. 
POSTSCRIPT. 
The demands upon us for information in regard to Stock, Implements, Ita¬ 
lian (Siberian) Spring Wheat, Dutton Corn, and other seeds; and in regard to 
agricultural matters, nave crowded upon us to such an extent—twenty having 
come to hand in the last forty-eight hours, requiring twenty letters in answer 
—that we have turned over to our friend Bement those upon stock, and to 
W. Thorjjurn, our honest seedsman, those upon implements and seeds gene¬ 
rally. There is at present no spring wheat (Siberian) in market, though a 
supply is expected before the Hudson opens. The Dutton corn, already or¬ 
dered, will be forwarded as soon as the navigation will.permit. The queries 
upon agricultural matters will receive our best attention as early as our more 
pressing business will permit. We shall designate an agent, or agents, in the 
different states as soon as our returns will enable us to do it understandingly. 
In the mean time, we givejhe following:— 
Thomas P. Jones, Patent Office, Wa¬ 
shington, D. C. 
J. Dille, Newark, Ohio. 
G. M. Lewis, Scott’s Ferry, Va. 
Gen. B. Peyton, Richmond, Va. 
Alex. Cowan, Annapolis, Md. 
D. Shiffer, P. M. Shepherdstown, Pa. 
Reddick, P. M. Sunbury, N.C. 
John R. Bryant, Shawnee Run, Ky. 
J. Blain, Marksborough, N. J. 
R. S. D. Jones, Friendship, Md. 
J. R. Palmer, Jackson. Mich. 
B. R. Greene, Warwick, R. I. 
S. Hinkle, New Market, Va. 
RECEIPTS.—We 
indicated below, from 
ten not noticed. 
Post-Offices. 
lAbington, Va. 
I Benevola, Ky'. 
Belleville, Pa. 
Branchport, Yates, 
Black-Rock, Erie, 
Brownsville, Pa. 
Brinkleyvtlle, N. C. 
Bristol, Con. 
Berlin, Rens. 
Brooklyn, 
Church Hill, 
Centerville, 
Chaptico, 
Chestertown, 
Cheshire, 
have received payments for the number of subscribers 
the 20th Jan. to 20th Feb. inclusive. Numbers under 
Mich. 
Md. 
Md. 
Md. 
Md. 
Con. 
Vt. 
Castleton, 
Cassville, One. 
Coxsackie, Greene, 
Danville, Pa. 
Deckertown, N. J. 
Duanesburgh, Schen. 
Erwin, Steu. 
Ellery, Chaut. 
Frederick, Del. 
Friendship, Md. 
Fishkill, Dutch. 
Great Mills, Md. 
Greenwich, N. J. 
Govenslovvn, Md. 
Garysville, Va. 
Post-Offices. 
Hadlyme, Con. 
Hamptonburgh, Or. 
Hampstead, Va. 
Keene, N. H. 
Leonardstown, Md. 
Lenox, Mass. 
Lewisburgh, Pa. 
Lima, Liv. 
Leesville, Sclio. 
Meadville, Pa. 
Mattox Bridge, Va. 
Murfreesboro’, Ten. 
Middletown, Va. 
Milton, 
Madison, 
Marksboro, 
New Store, 
New Milford, Con. 
New-York, 
Newmarket, Va. 
Newbern, N. C. 
Newark, Ohio, 
Oakhill, Greene, 
Oxford, Chen. 
Ogden, Mon. 
Ovid, Sen., 
Pr. Edward c. h.Va. 
Port Tobacco, Md. 
Port Deposite, Md." 
Phelps, OnC 
Del. 
N. J. 
N. J. 
Va. 
Post-Offices. 
Passumpsic, Vt. 22 
Rose Miffs, Va. 11 
Richmond, Va. 11 
Somers, Westches. 20 
Shawnee Run, Ky. 11 
Sandy Spring, Md. 11 
Skaneateles, On. 11 
St. Louis, Mo. 22 
Savage, Md. 11 
Same C reek, Md. 22 
Somerville, N. J. 13 
Shrewsbury, N. J. 11 
Scott’s Ferry, Va. 22 
Sublett’s tavern.Va. 11 
Sculltown, N. J. 11 
Sunbury, N. C. 11 
Shepherdstown, Pa. 22 
Trumansburgh, Tom. 33 
i’uneytown, Md. 11 
Union, Vt. 11 
Uniontown, Ohio, 13 
Windham, Con. 15 
West. Bloomfield, Ont. 17 
Wilton, Con. 11 
Warwick, Or. 11 
West Rutland, Vt. 12 
Westport, Ky. 11 
Warwick, R. I. 22 
Warsaw, Gen. 50 
Yorktown, Westell. 11 
FROM THE STEAM PRESS OF PACKARD & VAN BENTHUYSEN. 
