Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-07-21
VERMONT TELEGRAPH.

if the external causes of disease-damp-
ness, efluvia, &c.-were even present as
much in the morning as in the evening,
we should be less likely to be affected by
them, because sleep has restored our won't
ed tone and vigor; and consequently our
power of resisting the surrounding evil |
influences.
The advantages of early rising in refer
ence to health, are, however, so many and
so obvious, that we need not dwell upon
those which are doubtful. We should be
willing to concede, for the moment, that
the air ofthe evening is as salutary as that
of the morning; and that we were no bet
ter able to resist the bad tendencies of the
one, than those of the other. For even
then, these truths would still remain, we'll
attested by abundant experiment, that
sleep in the night is better adapted to the
wants of human nature than sleep in the
day time, and that the more nearly this
sleep is divided between the hours before
and after midnight the more favorable it
is to health and longevity.
The character Of the ear Y riser, says
! Macnish, is the very reverse Of that ofthe
sIoven. His countenance is ruddy, his
eye joyous and serene, and his frame full
Of vigor and activity His mind is also
clear and unclouded, and free from that
oppressive languor, which weighs like a
nightmare upon the spirit of the sluggard.
The same writer in another place also
observes-The most striking instances of
the good effects Of early rising are to be
found in our peasantry and farmers, whose
hale compilations, good appetites, and Wig
orous persons, are evidences ofthe benefit
derived from this custom, conjoined with
labor; while the wan, unhealthy counte-
nances and enfecbed frames ofthose who
keep late hours, lie long in bed, and pass
the night in dissipation, study or pleasure,
are equally conclusive proofs of the per-
ncious consequences resulting from an
opposite practice.
= Among the experin ents which go to
show that it is not conducive to health 10
convert night into day, or day into night,
is the following. 1t is related by Valan-
gin, and though often quoted, is never te-
dious.
Two colonies in the French army had
a dispute whether it was most safe tc
march in the heat Of the day, or in the
evening. To ascertain this Eoint, they
got permission from the commanding off.
Ger to put their respective plans into exc
cuton. Accordingly, the one, with his
division, marched during the day, altho
it was ia the heat of summer, and restec
all night. The other, with his men
slept in the daytime, and marched during
the evening and part Of the night. The
; result was, that the first performed jour
r ney of six hundred miles, without losine
a single man or horse; while the latte
lost most of his horses, and several Of hi:
men.
We have said, that the circulation ofth,
blood is Quckened at evening. This il
the case even with those who are healthy
but the increased action is most obvious il
t the feeble. This increased activity is
. state Of diminutive fever; and this febril,
: state should be prolonged as little as pos
sible. Every person, we would say
again, should retire earl enough to pro
! cure half his sleep before midnight. Stan
2 islaus |, of Poland, always observed Thu
rule. He retired regularly at nine, an(
I rose at three
t One reason why sleep in the night i
t more saIutary than that of the day, ma!
7 be found, most undoubtedly, in the fact
1 that impressions on the external sense
!, are more fully excluded. Light may al
t feet us, even though we close the eyes
l., and hence the utility of darkness. Sound
l. disturb US, even though we do not wa Ike
Y and hence the importance Of that superio
: Quictude which usually accompanie
l. darkness.
Another reason is, that almost every in
: dividual either has some business assig
e ed to each day, on which his mind, if h
n lies down, is apt to linger, or he has friend
b to whose calls or Interruptions he know
:. he is liable. In this view alone, it wer
y impossible for any but the merest sluggar
l, to consign himseIfto the same quiet, SCUM
?, sleep in the daytime as in the evening.
l. We are now prepared TO state tEat on
Y principle advantage to health resu}tin
= from ear y rising is, that it drives us t.
bed ea,Iy. He who rises at four, viii
IL not long sit up till eleven, or twelve, O
( one. Nature may be wrongcd for time
r, but her demands are so imperious, thu
J. few will persevere in resisting her, eve
" when fashion is with them. So long a
l. people are permitted-or rather perm
e themselves-to lie in bed till six, sever
% or eight o'clock in the forenoon, so lon
II will they be unable to resist the tempta
re tons 70 sit up to an hour which is unfavo
l. able to health. But when they have ono
g. succeeded in rising at four uniformly, the
Is will be apt soon to learn to retire at min
or ten. Hence arises the greatest shar
of gain which is derived from early ri:
ing.
n Rnt II NAV he urCp6 that all this