The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-10 00:00:00

A CURE FOR CORPULENCE.

A philanthropist has lately laid his story before
the public, and although the record may provoke a
passing smile, yet no one who reads it can doubt
the earnestness and sincerity of the writer, or his
hearty desire to benefit his fellow-creatures. It is
simply the narrative of a min who was tremen-
dously fat, who tried hard for years and years to
thin himself, and who has at last succeeded. He
wishes the world to know how he vanquished his
terrible enemy, and how at last the demon of corpu-
lence flee from him. This is really a great kindness,
and a man who, without fear of ridicule and simply
from benevolent motives, comes forward to reveal
an experience of this kind is doing a see.
vice which his fellow creatures ought to recognise.
Mr. Banting, the gentleman who has had the cou-
rage and good feeling to write and publish this nar-
rative, not long ago measured five feet five inches,
and weighed about 14 stone and a quarter. He
owns that ho had a great deal to bear from unfor-
tunate make. In the first place, the little boys in
the street laughed at him ; in the next place, he
could not tie his own shoes; and lastly, he had, it
appears, to come downstairs back wards. But he was
a man who struggled gallantly, and whatever
be was recommended to do he honestly tried to
carry out, He drank mineral waters, and consulted
physicians, and took sweet counsel with innumera-
ble friends, but all was in vain. He lived upon
sixpence a day, and earned it, so that the favourite
recipe of Abernethy failed in his case. He went
into all sorts of vapour baths and. shampooing
baths. He took no less than ninety Turkish
baths, but nothing did him any good; he was
still as fat as ever. A kind friend recom-
mended increased bodily exertion every morning,
and nothing seemed more likely to be effectual
than rowing. So this stout warrior with fat got
daily into a good, safe, heavy boat, and rowed a
couple of hours. But he was only pouring water
into the bucket of the Danaides. What ho gained
in one way he lost in another. His muscular vigour
increased, but then, with this, there came a prodi-
gious appetite, which he felt compelled to indulge,
and consequently he got even fatter than he had
been. At last he hit upon the right adviser,
who told him what to do, and whose advice
has been so succsssful that Mr. Banting can
now walk downstairs forwards, put his old
clothes quite over the suit that now fits him,
and, far from being made the victim of unkind
or ill-judged chaff, is universally congratulated on
his pleasant and becoming appearance. The machi-
nery by which this change was effected was of a
very simple kind. He was simply told to leave off
eating anything but meat. It appears that none of
his numerous friendly advisers, and none of the
physicians he consulted, penetrated so far into the
secresy of his domestic habits as to have discovered
that twice a day he used formerly to indulge in
bowls of bread and milk. The Solomon who saved
him cut off this great feeder of fat, and since then
Mr. Banting has been a thinner and a happier
man.—Saturday Review.

DEATH OF A BOY THROUGH PLAYING WITH FIRE*
—Aninquiry was held by Mr. IV m. Payne, the City
coroner, at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, on Tuesday, re-
specting the death of James Drummond, aged five years.
It appeared from the evidence that the deceased, who was
the chid of a mechanic, residing at I, Greenhill-place,
Smithfield, was on Monday left for a few minutes alone in
a room by his mother. In her absence be began to light
them. lie
sticks at the fire and play with was soon. in
flames, and before his screams brought assistance he was
dreadfully burnt. Ho was forthwith conveyed to the hcs.
pital, but his injuries were so severe that all remedies proved
unavailing, and after lingering in great agony ho expired
on Monday night. Verdict---Accidental death.:
.
TIIE LION WHOSE CLAW S.AREICUT, AND wno
t;.iti de
ROARS LIKE A SucEING DOVE !_,,
ASi lea brochure br
M. Prondhon has just appeared, entitled,
1815 ont Cease &Blister r It is the development o
Utopia of the former enemy to property. The following;"new
the last sentence in the pamphlet, and will show is
Proudhon is no longer a very dangerous d that AI,
"'flat idea exists, already it circulates bute'ma•gogue '—
task of a simple writer to prove himself
it is not the
fore-
told it. It must come out byc one that
the force ' •
proclaimed by every mouth, and receive of circumstances, be
he principal, who first founded th the baptism ion
albs triumph of ideas, the relic) ? honour of his rt ign on
versal disarmament." uneing of victories, and timi-

A MONSIEUR PLE lays claim before the Acade co!
to having discoverri the complete art of photographing: "(11
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