Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-09-23

handsome. They both have dark auburn hair,
hazel eyes of beautiful expression, WIN rosy
checks and soft smooth skins, resembling, now
ever, the skins Of plump females over 'wen'g'
more than those o. children. Their large siz-,
broad plump shoulders, and prnmioenl oreas's'
impress tn beholder with the idea OF tntir oe'
ing full grown women But in all theirieehngs
aud actions they are mere children. When we
6rs visited them, the younger child took pos,
session Of handsome cane belonging to one OF
the spectators, and then in great prize suunea
with il through The room, and was persuaded
with some h,lle difficulty to relinqulsh IT, ouo>
seuuen,ly the sisters had quite serious inisuh-
Demanding respecting few marbles ana some
strings. In children of their ages we would
not be surprised at such oc occurrences; oo' th'l
aGuI, appearance rendered their quarrel about
such tribes indescribably ludicrous. However,
although mere children in understanding, yel
am inclined TO think they are equal to ordinary
children Of the same ages and opportunities, IN
nom, ofintellect, indeed some Of their observa-
lions indicated degree Of shrewdness ABOVE
their years.
According to Halter, the mind, in cases OF ex-
trpmely RAPID grow'h, seldom keeps pace with
the body in rs Development; tor, ne observes
speaking Of this subject, mems so'ef mJdnln.s
mdnere" There DOES not appear sny approach
To puberty in either, as in many oil toe cases Of
early growth recorded by Haler IN The eIghth
volume Of his physiology; they seem to have no
f. elings or inclinarions but such IS belong 10
ordinary children OF The same ages.
Both these children pa, sed through me pc,
rod Of infancy without eny serious disorder,
and seemed TO suffer even less Than ordinary
H. r 10
have never had the measles or hopping cough,
and seem 10 be subject 10 no complaint, except
cough, from slight. Exposure 20 cold, and occa'
sioual dlarthGa. They have enjoyed almost
uninterrupted health thus far and been blessed
with keen appeti es and good digestion; aud
have never been siinIed in their allowance OF
food and drink. In their die, there has been
nothing peculiar; j, has oeen such as children
are usually fed upon IN the country, and that,
believe means every ,hing they take fancy
to that is used in the family There seems to
be no particular diet for children after two
years Of age, different from what is used by
adults: 10 which negligence, doubtless, many
OF their diseases, then and afterwards, must be
attributed. The mother thinks they eat and
drink rather more Than ordinary children; to
| which am willing 10 give credence from
wha, have seen of their powers in these res
poets.
Their sleep is soft and easy, and does not
exceed the ordinary duration, They have un-
, commonly strong pul.es, sr.h as have never
felt in children and no, often IN adults. his
indicates great vigor 81 The heart and arterial
system. l observed, also, though the weather
vas very warm, the THERMOMETERS being De-
| 'ween eighty Eve and ninety degrees In the
shade, they Sem 20 perspire mucn less than
oar Upon me Fab he mn, RS1 se
dom pcrspired much, aud that they seemed %
suffer no more inconvenience or oppression
rom the grestrsi hra, Of summer than thinner
children neither are 'hey subject to excora-
lions OF The skin where >urfate are habi ualy
IN contact. This can only BIT attributed 10 the
,emar kable smootnn aud delcacy Of their
skins, and TO the sea- tiness Of preparation
am Inclined to attribute the extreme cor.
pulency vf taese children rrl-hy 10 a few OF the
circumstances already mentioned; namely, a
good appetite and digestion, powerful cir
cuialorv system, sparIng transportation, inac-
,ivity of body aud eaN minds exempt from
sickness, from care, and from trouble. The OPP
e alton Of all these circumstances is favored
by Constitutional predisposi,Ion 10 obesity, and
by what is always indispensable TO the produc-
non Of such state Of b"dy-abuDdsnce Of
nourishing diet and drink That all the cir
cumstanc above mentioned favor obesity, the
mos, eminent Psychologists and pa'hologlsis
acknowledge.
On the mothers side there is an hereditary
predisposition TO corpulency. She Informed me
tina, several members Of her family had been
remarkable Tor their size. She has a brother
in Canada VINO weighs upwards Of 800 pounds;
and she herself exceeded 227, though at pre,en,
she must be much short Of that weight. This
predisposi,ion, in whatever it consists, must
be regarded as the mos, powerful cause Of the
excessive growth Of the children. Without il
all the causes favorable to obesity above men
toned, would be insult ieni; for we often see
them in combination, as much as in these in
stances without the same result. Since it is
out OF our power, however, TO explain the es.
seuce Of any function, it would be waste of
time 10 speculate on the phenomena purely vi
tai. Peculiarly of constitution can be no more
accounted for than the color of our hair or