130 
reasoning first opened my views on the 
many influences that occasion the disease ; 
and byconsidering his remarks on the third 
species of asthma, I observed a wide 
field for noxious causes, producing con- 
vulsive affections, and aiongst these 
asthma. : 
I soon found that a confirmed sympa- 
thy prevailed between the stomach and 
lungs, and I experienced that a vigi- 
Jant attention to diet was answered by a 
proportionate advantage to my health. 
Te was known that indigestion attended 
fits of asthma, but I now learnt to my 
conviction, that all irritations of the di- 
gestive organs may occasion attacks of 
asthma. My medical friend in the coun- 
try became, about this period, assiduous 
in applying the principles of this book, 
and satisfied me more and more, that to 
mitigate convulsive asthma is not to cure 
it, and that the means of relief to one 
patient cannot be certainly reckoned upon 
as means of comfort to another; and this 
uncertainty resulted from the nature of 
the complaint, as it was caused by dif- 
ferent states in various habits of body. 
My case has afforded an example of this 
fact, for Ido not recollect that I had 
gained longer absences of the disorder 
from any thing I had used during fifteen 
years, and though I had frequently relief 
in the fit, a future attack was not treated 
_with success by the same means. as gave 
this relief. When I began to turn the 
habit of my body by diet, medicine, and 
modes of life, I first perceived amend- 
ment. This advantage was made use of 
" in pursuing additional and more effectual 
means to secure it. It was thus that I 
gradually experienced a renovation of 
the power of the stomach, and of my 
lungs, and became capable of all active 
exertions that my daties in life required. 
I cannot believe, Mr. Editor, that I 
should have arrived at this benefit if I 
had contented myself with relieving the 
suffering of my nervous and miserable 
state of body, and with this conclusion on 
the use of narcotics in asthina, I am, &c. 
AGRICOLA. 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
On PROCRASTINATION ; ifs DEFINITION 
and CAUSE—its CONSEQUENCES and 
REMEDY. Lvtracted from the souR- 
NAL Of @ REFLECTOR. 
¢* Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep 5 
And the idle soul shall suffer hunger.” 
Proverbs, xix. 15. 
HE abstract signification of procras- 
tination, contains only the idea 
Ox Procrastination: 
‘[Sept. 1; 
of deferring, putting off from time to times 
Tn its more extended meaning, it involves 
the criminality of delaying the perform- 
ance of an incumbent duty, or.an indis- 
pensable obligation, until it is either tuo 
late to do it properly, or too late to per- 
form it at att; therefore, procrastination 
is Sa about the active duties in- 
cident toa State of society. 
The best method of explaining any 
particular vice, is by contrasting it with 
Its Opposite virtue. Promptness is the 
excellent virtue, directly opposed to 
the disgraceful vice of procrastination. 
Promptness consists in the immediate 
discharge of any duty or obligation. 
The cause of procrastination is coms 
prised in these terms—the love of pre- 
sent ease, which 1s opposed to exertion 
or employment. When the exercise of 
mind or body, or of both, is, obligatory, 
mankind, with but few exceptions, prefer 
a state of rest to that of activity; hence 
the common phrase, “I would do it if [ 
were not obliged, but I hate compulsion.”- 
This is absurd; for one of the principal 
reasons why we should performour duties 
is, because they are compulsory. All 
the business of life is carried on by mul- 
tiplied exertions; which, in most cases, 
being difficult or offensive, delay first, 
then neglect, and lastly, failure result. 
Habit, forgetfulness, immoral princi- 
ples, and false estimation of time, are 
the constituents which form the love of 
present ease. Fe ae 
It is to be remarked that those persons 
who indulge themselves, by delaying to 
perform their duties; for instance, those 
who habituate themselves not to rise from 
their beds till an hour after the ap- 
pointed time for rising, or who neglect 
answering their correspondents tili within 
a few minutes of the closing of the mail, 
by gradual habit lay the foundation for 
delaying the performance of the most 
important duties of life. 
There are many, who are not only 
willing, but desirous, to perform all the 
obligations properly required of them, 
whose memories are so weak, that while 
they are discharging one duty, they for- 
get those which are to follow. ‘These 
are the most excusable kind of procras- 
tinators; but they are uot altogether par- 
donable, as there exists a remedy, which 
if used with perseverance, will effect a 
cure. R 
Even the vicious and abandoned, have 
duties to perform, which recur at stated 
intervals; but having immoral principles, 
they say, “ Who cages?” “ Who fears?” 
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