Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-07-28
From the Journal of Health.
DIURNAL DUTIES.

attainment of a good old age, we are
presented by contemporary writer, with
the following admirable directions for the
occupations Of day. by large class of
the community they are capable of being
strictly complied with; and we are fully
persuaded, that whoever will put them in
practice, will very soon experience their
effects in augmented amount of health
and cheerfulness.
From March to October, rise with the
sun; in this there should be no deviation
or interruption no mornings must be
missed OH any consideration. Imme-
diately after leaving your bed, and wash
ing with pure spring-water, get into the
open air and, if residing in the city,
make your way on foot or on horseback,
as far into the surrounding country as
your time will permit. The purity and
invigorating quality of the air early in
the morning, greatly exceeds that of any
other part of the day. Breakfast about
eight o'clock; and as your appetite will
be created solely by exercise and pure
air, you will experience an eager desire
for the first meal of the day, which you
may indulge in freely; taking care, how
ever, that it be not to excess. This mea
should consist oflight wholesome food
After breakfast you will of course devote
yourself to the business of the day; but
if you have no direct occupation, employ
yourself in exercise in the open air. Up
on the time selected for dinner, will entire
ly depend the necessity of refreshment
before the second meal. If the dinner
hour be any time bcforc two o CLOCK lunch
con is not required : it would even be
hurtlul. If, however, it be protracted to
four, five, or six o'clock, some nourish-
ment ought to be taken at an equal dis
tance between breakfast and dinner; but
nothing substantial-a cratker, a crust
of bread, or a draught of milk, is all that
nature requires. lfyour employment be
sedentary, it is almost as necessary to
the preservation of health, that before
you sit down to your dinner you should
again take exercise, as it is that you
should take any dinner at all: if your time,
therefore, will allow ample opportunity
for walking, be as particular in taking
it, as if you depended on it for subsis-
tence.
Thus prepared by air and exercise,
you need not fear to yield to the natural
impulse Of the appetite, IN the employ
mcnt of your dinner; taking care, how
ever, that you do not approach.to excess
much less indulge in it. For dinner,
any thing may be eaten that is in sea-
son, and not rendered pernicious by the
refincments of modern cookery. Water
is the most wholesome beverage taken
at this meal; to wine in the extent oftwo
or three glasses, we know of no very
forcible objcctions-but more than this, is
decidedly injurious; malt liquors should,
also, be drunk very sparingly, and dis
titled spirits should be entirely abstained
from. 1t may be here observed, as we
have limited on a former occasion, that
persons in sound robust health, procured
by exercise and general temperance, re-
quire a great amount of food, and of a
more nutritious quality, than those who
live life of incidence and indulgence.
Common sense will point out to them the
propriety Of selecting such kinds of ali
ment which experience has taught them
the best agrees with the stomach; and
reason, guided by their own feelings,
ought to indicate to them the bounds
which nature has fixed as to its quality.
In three or four hours after dinner, ex-
ercise in the open air should again be
taken, provided time will allow; after
wards you may take tea; but as you val
ue your health, and a peaceful nights
rest, do not take green tea; neither let il
be strong. Should you dine early, with
the amount of exercise here directed, f,
perhaps, you may require light supper;
in general it is better, however, to omit
this meal entirely: when taken, it is all
important that it be perfectly light, and
very limited in quantity. Retire to rest
by ten, or half past ten o'clock, at the
very latest: sleep on hair mattrass, in