Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-06-22
A Word About Early Rising.

warn W ueio the UaSc Vi Tie C0iuulu udu
been.-Neacark Nv. J) Adoertiser.
A Word About Early Rising.
A MEDICAL gentleman who gave years
to investigating the subject-to interview
ing old folks. and rummaging among fam
lily histories-states that he never came
across case o. remarkable longevity un-
accompanied ty the habit of early rising,
from which testimony it might be inferred
that they die early who lie abed late; but
we hold this to be falacy. The medical
gentleman started with theory already
formed, and, after the manner of partisans,
looked at but one side of the question.
That most elderly people are early ris-
ers is due to the damaging fact that they
cannot sleep q mornings They necessa-
rily rise betimes, and uniustifiably make a
monstrous virtue of it. After man
passes his fitch birthday he usually
awakens at sunrise, though perhaps he
used to let the breakfast bell ring in vain
when he was younger. AS our theorist
confined his observations to aged people
who could not slumber after the gray
dawn had tapped at the window pane, he
came easily TO the conclusion that men
live to be old because they do not sleep
late, instead OF seeing that they do not
sleep late because they are old. Having
with a great deal of trouble secured this
lop-sided ddtuna, our friend started of
with his theory of rising with the lark.
Not being a lark ourselves, we decline to
regulate our movements on any ornitho-
logical principle We believe in gener-
Gus allowance Of sleep. We believe that
too little sleep is more injurious than too
much. Unless a mans business or pro-
fessional engagements Obliges him to turn
out very cary, he does his physical nature
injustice by defrauding himself of those
delicious morning maps which so refresh
and strengthen one. For men who dc
brain work there is no medicine like plen.
ty of Sleep
sleep, that knits up the ravel'd sleeve of care,
The death of each days life, sore labor's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great natures second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feastl"
Cervantes' humble hero did not misplace
his benson in showering ii on the man
that invented sleep; but the man that in
vented waking up much before seven
o'clock in the morning was no friend to
the human race.
There is an immense amount OF non
sense on record in defense of early rising
this has been written chiefly by poets who
breakfasted-when they did breakfast-at
twelve O'Clock. Thomson, who gave birth
to the atrocious sentiment embodied in
the line
Falsely luxurious, VIII not man awaken
was one Of the LATEST men of his century
He generally lay in bed until noon (medi
tating verses on sunrise), and did not often
get fully awake until later in the day, for
he was frequently observed strolling in his
garden at Richmond, after breakfast, eating
peaches off a tree, with both hands in his
waistcoat pockets
We would like to know what induce.
ment there is for early rising in the city.
What is more shabby and dispiriting than
city street before the shop window shut
tiers are taken down, when nobody is astir
but the milk and-water man, and Mary
washing off the front steps? In the coun-
try there is a kind of bloom in the morn
ing, that wears off in an hour or two /; this
is worth enjoying. Daybreak on the sea-
coast or up among the mountains is glo-
rious spectacle; but familiarity with it
breeds contempt. 1t is your habitual
late riser who takes in the full
richness of nature on those rare occasions
when he gets up early. 1t is well enough
to rise with the sun 1--WE won't say with
the lark, because we know nothing about
its eccentricities) two or three times in the
course of the summer, if for no other pur-
pose than TO be prepared TO combat the in.
tolerance Of the professional carly riser,
who, If he were in state of perfect health,
would lie abed until nine o'clock. There
are few small things more apt TO be exas-
perating than this early bird with the
worm OF his conceit in bis bill. How he
scorns you for your indolent habits! Here
he has been up "these three hours" he
has read the morning paper, been TO the
post Office, seen Smith in the distance,
conversed with Jones, came near meeting
Brown, while you-you were snoozing
away the best hours Of life. Let the old
fellow prattle on, for some day you will
grow restless yourself after the clock has
struck five, and will want the privilege Of
jeering at your son in law, or your grand
son, or any of the younger drowsy heads
Of your household, who may chance to
come down late to breakfast The old
fellow would sleep later if he could, but
he can't, and If he wants to make virtue
of it, what's the harm? Maybe he hasn't
as many virtues as you have He certainly
has not had your refreshing sleep.-Eoey
Saturday.
THE Hindoos divide time into four grand