The Sun.
London, England, 1832-01-07 00:00:00

NECESSARY QUANTITY OF SLEEP.

With regard to the necessary quantity of
sleep, so much depends upon age, constitution,
and employment, that it is impossible to lay
down any fixed rule which will apply to all cases.
Jeremy Taylor states, that three hours only out
of the twenty-four should be spent in sleep.
Baxter extends the period to four hours, Wesley
to six, Lord Coke and Sir William Jones to
seven, and Sir John Sinclair to eight. With the
latter lam disposed to coincide. Taking the
average of mankind, we will come as nearly as
possible to the truth when we say, that nearly
one-third part of life should be spent in sleep ;
in some cases even more may be necessary, and
in few can a much smaller portion be safely dis-
pensedd; b utchildhood with. When a person is young, strong,
n
healthy,
a hour
andor two
ex
extreme
od age
mayl be suffi-
cient
re-
quire a still greater portion. No person who
passes only eight hours in bed can be said to
waste his time. If, however, he exceeds this,
and is, at the same time, in possession of vigour
and youth, he lays himself open to the charge of
passing in slumber those hours which should be
devoted to some other purpose. Too little sleep
shortens life as much as an excess of sleep.
Barry, in his work on " Digestion," has made an
ingenious, but somewhat whimsical calculation
on this subject. He asserts, that the duration
of human life may be ascertained by the number
of pulsations which the individual is able to per-
form. Thus, if a man's life extends to seventy
years, and his heart throbs sixty tunes each mi-
nute, the whole number of its pulsations will
amount to 2,207,520,000 ; but if, by intern-
perence, or any other cause, he raises the pulse to
seventy-five in a minute, the same number of
pulsations would be completed in fifty-six years,
and the duration of life abbreviated fourteen
years. Arguing from these facts, he alleges,
that sleep has a tendency to prolong life, as, dur-
ing its continuance, the pulsations are less nu-
merous than in the waking state. There is a
sort of theoretical truth in this statement, but
it is liable to be modified by so many circum-
stances, that its application can never become ge-
neral. If this were not the case, it would be
natural to infer, that the length of a man's life
would correspond with that of his slumbers,
whereas it is well known, that too much sleep
debilitates the frame and lays the foundation of
various diseases, which tends to shorten instead
of extending its duration. The persons who
sleep most, are those who require the least of
this indulgence. These are the wealthy and
luxurious, who pass nearly the half of their ex-
istence in slumber, while the hardworking pea-
sant and mechanic, who would seem, at first
sight, to require more than any other class of
society, are contented with seven or eight hours
of repose—a period brief in proportion to that
expended by them in toil, yet sufficiently long
for the wants of nature, as is proved by the
strength and health which they almost uniformly
enjoy. More sleep is requisite, for the reasons
already stated, in winter than in summer. Were
there even no constitutional causes for this dif-
ference, we would be disposed to sleep longer in
the one than in the other, as many of the causes
which induce us to sit up late and rise early in
summer are wanting during winter, and we con-
sequently feel disposed to lie in bed for a longer
period of time during the latter season of the
year.—Macnish's Philosophy of Sleep.

THE LATE MR. CHA MBERS.---All unpleasant
controversy has occurred respecting the disposal of the
remains of the above gentleman. It was intended that
his funeral should have taken place at the Protestant
burial ground, but the authorities of the country would
not permit it, upon • the plea that he was a Roman
Catholic. An appeal war.made,to the British authorities
here, but hitherto without any result. The body remains
at the Quinta de Basso, inclosed in a leaden coffin, under
the surveillance of the police.
• _

'TRENCH PAPERS.

From the Journal du Commerce of Jan. 4. )

PARIS, JAN. 3.—A great subject of conversation
is a diplomatic conference held the day before yes-
terday at the hotel of the President of the Council,
after which numerous couriers were despatched (to
Berlin, Vienna, St. Peteraburgh, London and
Madrid). The accounts from England announce,
in like manner, great activity in the diplomatic
world, and it is generally ascribed to the approach
of the day fixed for the exchange of the ratification
of the treaty of November 15.

But modifications of the last Protocol are already
spoken of, and the report that France intervenes
very earnestly to bring about a final arrangement
gains more credit.

M. Anatole Bremer and M. Dnault, both 'em-
ployed in the department for Foreign Affairs, set
out yesterday—the first for Londolq, the Fecond for
Rome. with despatches from the Government.
If we may believe a letter from Modena of the
17th of December, the Austrians had resolved to
re-enter Bologna on the 23d. If they had really
carried this resolution into effect, we ought now to
have received information of it. The exchange of
couriers between Paris and London is frequent.
One of ttie sons of M. Casimir Perier, who is .erre-
tary to the French Legation at London, has just
arrived at Paris. It is affirmed that on the last
journey of M. de Palmella from London to Paris it
was finally decided that the expedition to the coasts
of Portugal should be deferred till the commence-
ment of next spring. It seems, however, that Don
Pedro will shortly leave France. It is said that he
will go to Terceira.
(From the Messager des Chambres, slated J in. 5.)
NEUFCHATEL, DEC. 25.—The General Council
of the city has waited on the Royal Commissioner,
to thank him for the measures he has taken for the
interest of the country, and to congratulate him on
'his success. It also offered him the freedom of the
city, which he accepted.

The city is assuming:). a more tranquil appearance.
The families which hadi' removed are returning to
their homes. The barricades, covered with flowers
and verdure, look like ornaments rather than means
of defence. The fears felt lately are succeeded by a
feeling of security : there is not a family which has
not reason to thank Providence; for all the men in
the city marched out. All were exposed, and all
have returned safe and sound. Every body blesses
the measures of the Royal Commissioners, being sen-
sible that they alone could save us from the dreadful
crisis which threatened u.. It is hoped that the
shock which they have caused will soon subside,
and will be followed by that tranquillity of which
our manufacturers have so much need.

The Council of War appointed yesterday met
this morning, to proceed to try Frederick Roesinger,
one of the ringleaders of the plot; he was taken
with arms in his hands, just as he had been plun-
dering the manufactory at Boudry. He was found
guilty of high treason, and condemned to be shot,
unless spared by the clemency of his Majesty.
PARIS, JAN. 4.-Letters from Algiers, says the
Semaphore, announce that the arrival of the Duke
of Rovigo was anxiously expected, as the greatest
advantages are looked for from his government.
We are of the same opinion. The Duke hat di-
rected affairs of great importance, and must have
acquired thorough knowledge of men and things,
His campaigns in Egypt and his residence in Asia
Minor, where he was proscribed at the time of the
restoration, have made him acquainted with the
manners and habits of the Mahometans. He is ac-
knowledged to be laborious, resolute, and active, and
to enjoy good health.
FRENCH FCNOR.-PARIS, JAN. 4.-Five per Cents., 96f. 50c.
40c. 30c. 40c. 35c. 23c. 40c. 45c. 40c. 9tif. 35c. ; Four and a, Half
per Cents., 90f.; Four per Cents., 81f. 25C.; Three per Cents ,
671. 30c. 60c. 50c. 45c. 50c. 40c. 50c. 60e. 50c. 671. 43c. 40c. 45c
50c. 60c. 35c. 50c 45c. 40c. 67f. 35e. 40c. ; Bank Stock, 1,615 f.
1,610 f. ; Rente de Naples, 761 30c. 75e. 771. 7151. 90c. 77f. 77f. 20c.
77t: ; Royal Spanish L0an,741( '75; Rente Perpetuelle d'Espagne,
54!4 %a 13 54% 5.5 SIN ; Haytian Loan, Mt Ex-
change
on London, one month, paper, 25f. 40c. ; money,
40c.; three months, paper, 25f. 25c.; money, at: 25c.-fours
Authentique.