Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-02-28
Howard The Philanthropist.

Howard the PhilanthrOpist.
He was singular being in many of the
common habits of life; he bathed daily in
cold water; and both on rising and going to
bed swathed himself in coarse towels, wet
with the coolest water; in that state he re-
NAMED half an hour or more, and then
threw them off, freshened and inyigorated, as
he said, beyond measure. He never put on
great coat in the coolest countries; nor
was ever a minute under or over the time of
an appointment for 26 years. He never
continued at place, or with person sim
gle day beyond the period prehxed for
going, in his life; and he had not, for the
last 10 years of his existence, ate any fish,
flesh or fowl; nor sat down to his simple
fare Of tea, milk, and rusks, all that time.
His journeys were continued from prison
to prison; from one group Of wretched be-
ings to another, night and day; and when
he could not go in carriage he would walk.
Such thing as an obstruction was out OF
the question.
Some days after his first return from an
attempt to mitigate the plague at CONSTANT
nople, he favored me with morning visit TO
London. The weather was so very terrific,
that had forgot his inveterate exactness,
and had yielded up the hope of expecting
him. Twelve at noon was the hour, and
exactly as the clock struck, he entered my
room; the wet-for It rained in torrents
dripping from every part of his dress, like
water from a sheep Just landing from its
washing. lie would not have attended TO
his situation, having sat himself down with
the utmost composure, and began conversa-
ton, had not made an offer Of dry clothes
Yes said he smiling, i had my fears, as
knocked at your door, that we should GO
over the old business of apprehension about
little rain water, which though it does moi
run off my back as it does from that Of q
duck, does me as little injury, and after Z
long drought is scarcely less refreshing
The coat that / have on has been as often
wetted through as any ducks in the world
and indeed gets no other cleaning. l assure
you, good soaking shower is the best brush
for broadcloth. You, like the rest OF my
friends throw away your pity upon my sup
posed hardshps with Just as much reason a.
you commiserate the common beggars, who
being familiar with storms, necessity, anC
nakedness, are a thousand times ESQ forcibl,
is habit) less to be compassoned than th,
sons and daughters Of ease and luxury, wh'
accustomed 10 all the enfeebling refinement
of feathers by night and fires by day, ar,
taught to SILVER at a breeze. All this is tn,
work Of art, my good friend nature is in
trepid hardy, and adventurous but il is
practice to spoil her with induIgenees from
the moment we come into the world.
soft dress and soft cradle begin our education
in luxury, and we do not grow more mani,
the more we are gratifed; on the contrary
|, our feet must be wrapt in wool or silk, w
must tread upon carpets, breathe, as it were
in FIRE, and fear the least change in IN
weather. 'You SMILE said Mr. Howard, al
ter pause, but am living instance O
the truths insist on. A more puny young
ster than myself, was never seen. If / we
my feet was sure TO take cold. could nc
D put on my shirt without its being aired. L
be serious, am convinced that phdt emas
cuIates the body debiHtdteS the mind, an
: renders both unfit for those exertions whic
are of such use TO us social beings. l there
fore entered upon reform of my consiitu
: ton, and have succeeded in such degre
that have neither bad cough, cold, tn
: yapors, nor any more alarming disorder
e since surmounted the seasoning. Former
ly mulled wines, and spirits, and great fire.
i were to comfort me, and to keep out tn
t cold, as il is called the perls of the da
were to be bafled by something taken he
on going to bed; and before ! pursued m
d journey the next morning, dram was to
swallowed to fortfy the stomachp Beliey
n me- said Mr. Howard, we are too apt to i,
uert the remedies Dhich zoe ought to present.
for ourseiUes Thus we are forever givin
IS hot things when we should administer coll
We battle in hot instead OF cold water, y
. use dry bandage when we should use w
" one, and we increase our food and clothir
when we should, by degrees, diminish bot
If we would trust more to Nature, at
d suffer her TO apply her own remedies to Gu
her own diseases, the formidable caialog,
/ Of maladies would be reduced to one half,
least, Of their present number.'-Prati
Gieani"gs,