Litchfield enquirer., 1836-12-15

II HkAHrHY CoNsFTTUTIoNs.-The first and morf iunnortant element of physical ed1ca, \ lion is to procure for those tO De educated, s constitution of body originally sound. Ts
 this. the soundness of parents is indispensable 1-it heinO d law of nature, that constitutional
 o,,alit;es ara hereditary. If the stamina ol Il t,e child be defective, 1t is not to be expect. I sJ ,haf fhe health and vigor of the adult can 6e made perfect. The primitive deficiency thom0h if may be lessened, can never be re.
 moved. As we'll might you look for the erec.
 lion of a solid edifice to endure for ages, out of decayed materials.
 The constitution of child may be impair ed by various causes. Ofthese, the marriage of the feeble and infirm is one-children in- heriting the constitution of their parents.
 Under this head are included all persons having a we'll known tendency to any form of disease; the more especially if that ten- dency be family inheritance. Of this de- scription are those who are predisposed to in- sanity, idiocy, pulmonary consumption, asth- ma, gout, dyspepsia, scrofula, and other affec- tions know to be transmissible from parents to their offspring.
 Early marriages-those, mean, that take place before the full maturity of the parties, is another. Sound and perfect fruit cannot be the product of immature and feeble trees. This truth is we'll known to skilful agricultu- rists, and scrupulously observed and practic- ed on, by them, in their domestic animals, and the products oftheir grounds. It is neglec- ted, and run to, only in what arc termed ef- forts to improve the human race. To im- prove the human race rather say, to deteri- crate it.! While man is the laborious impro- yer of every thing else, as we'll in art as in nature, strange as it may appear, he neglects, or rather deteriorates himself: not remem- bering that self-impro would not only be a source of the purest pleasure to him, but would qualify him for effecting every other form of it, by increasing his powers.
 Another cause, is marriage, where the male party is far advanced in life, the female be- ing within the period of truitfulness. The is- sue of such connexions are rarely possessed of sound constitutions. They often exhibit some of the elements of old age, even in their youth. And no instance is remembered at present, where they have been long g-lived, or distinguished by mental or bodily powers.
 A fourth cause is the marriage of the indi- gent, who are unable to provide for their off, spring competent supply of wholesome food. Hence the universal degeneracy of the poor of those, mean, whose niltriment is scan- ty, of bad quality, and imperfectly cooked. For the cooking of diet is of great moment and the cookery of the poor is always defec- tive. @ >e es7aF 1a.ya9 aa1at q zs@ A fifth cause is long perseverance in fa- mily alliances; marriages, | mean, between those nearly allied to each other, by descent. Be the immediate reason what it may, the fact is indisputable, tha. the descendants of parents thus related degenerate and the fa- miles, in time, become extinct. Witness the present royal families of Europe, that from sceptred pride, and state policy, have long intermarried with each other. They can now scarcely muster heirs, in the direct line, to occupy their thrones--and such heirs that the whole of them united, would not form a well-gifted man! Three of them are females, [1S33] the average of whose ages would make them children of about ten years old-- over hundred and fifty millions of the hu- man race! Yet those families, now so dege- nerate, were once signalized for high and mo- ble qualities, in the midst of the most noble, and were, on that account, clad in purple, and decorated with crowns. Nothing but com manding attributes, mental or personal, or both, could have raised them, at first, to regal power. Of the nobility of Portugal, might observe the same. They were once the pride of Europe, but by intermarriages, continued for centuries, they are now most degener- ate race. By intermarrying with common CTS, the nobility of Great Britain, Turkey, and Persia, avoid degeneracy, and continue among the finest people of their respective nations Cald,Ueu os Physical Education
 Singular Encounter few evenings since as one of the worthy Dogherrics of the Nor thern Liberties, was walking his weary round, at dead hour of the night, pondering no doubt, on the comforts of a good coal fire or q feather bed, and at intervals lulling the drow- sy citizens into more profound drowslness, with his usual announcement of the progress of time and the state of the weather-he was suddenly arrested by an apparition of the most fearful character. Just above him, on the caves of a small house, he behcld being of another and by no means bet ter world. It bore the shape of man, but it's long tail was raised and kept in kind ot spiral and menacing motion. Its eyes giar- ed with supernatural fire, and it's face was writhed into sardonic and satanic grin. The poor watchman stood as if thunder-stricken. He gazed in silence--the cold dew gathered on his forehead, and his limbs shook as with an ague. The apparition appeared to enjoy
 his terrors, and grinned with barbarous de- light switching its tail with fresh energy, and ley. 8''
 The watchman gazed and shuddercd. .--
 was nc dreaming He rubbed his eyes, and Iagaln turned them towards the object of hls
 terror. He saw the evil one leap-saw its
 form dashing through the air-alnd felt. it. weight upon his back. There was no mis
 take--there could be none. He felt it's arm:
 around his neck. He rushed forward-ht
 shrieked-he called for help--but in vain
 his tormentor was still there. In his despera tinn he uraSnaA hiS maca-and oinnad n hlnv