Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-05-05
How 70 Live Long and Well.

TIE following interesting letter from
William Cullen Bryant, giving an account
of his mode of living, is published in re-
cent number of the Herald Of Heath:
NEW YORK, March 80, 1871.
To Joseph II. Richards, Esq.:
DEAR SIR: promised some time since
to give you some account of my habits Of
life, so far at least as regards diet, exercise
and occupation. / am pot snre that II will
be of any use to you, although the system
which l have for many years observed
seems to answer my purpose very well.
have reached pretty advanced period of
life, without the usual infirmitits of old
age, and with my strength, activity aud
bodily facilities generally in pretty good
preservation. How far this may be the
effect of my way Of life, adopted long ago,
and steadily adhered to, is perhaps un-
certain.
rise early; at this time of the year
about 80; in summer, half an hour, or
even an hour, earlier. Immediately, with
very little incumbrance of clothing, begin
| a series Of exercises, for the most part de-
gigned to expand the chest, and at the
same time call into action all the muscles
and ariiculations of the body. These are
performed with dumb bells, the very
| lightest, covered with flannel with pole,
a horizontal bar, and light chair swung
around my head. After full hour, and
sometimes more, passed in this manner,
bathe from head TO foot When at my
place in the country, sometimes shorten
my exercise in the chamber, and, going
out, occupy myself for half an hour or
more in some work which requires brisk
exercise. After my bath, if breakfast be
not ready, sit down W my studies until
am called.
My breakfast is simple one-hominy
aud milk, or, in place OF hominy, brown
bread, or oat meal, or wheaton grits, and,
in the season, baked sweet apples. Buck
wheat cakes | do not decline, ner any
other article of vegetable food, but animal
food never take at breakfast Tea and
coffee never touch at any time. Some
| times | take cup of chocolate, which has
no narcotic effect, and agrees with me
1 very well. AT breakfast ] often take fruit
either in its natural state or freshly stewed
Alter breakfast | occupy myself for {
while with my studies, and then, when In
town, | walk down to the Office of the
EoenSn0 Post, nearly three miles distant
and, after about three hours, return, alway:
walking, whatever be the weather or the
State of the streets. In the country an
engaged in my literary tasks till feeling
OF WEAKNESS drives me out into open air
and go upon my farm or into the garden
and prune the trees, or perform somt
other work about them which they need
and then go back to my books. do no
often drive out, preferrlng to walk.
In the country | dine early, and 1t Il
only at that meal that l take either mea
or tish, and of these but a moderate quan
tity, making my dinner mostly of vege
tables. AT the meal which is called tea,
take only little bread and butter, will
fruit il it be on the table. In town
where l dine later, make but tive
meals day. Fruit makes considerable
part of my diet, and eat it at almost AM
hour of the day without inconvenience
My drink is water, yet / sometimes
though rarely, take glass of wine, an
i natural temperance man, finding mysel
rather confused than exhilerated by wine
l never meddle with tobacco, except t
quarrel with its use.
That may rise early, /, of course, g
TO bed early; in town, as early as ten; il
the country, somewhat earlier. For man.
years have avoided In the evening ever,
kind of literary occupation which task
the faculties, such as composition, even I,
the writing of letters, for the reason that
excites the nervous system, and prevent
sound sleep.
Ny brother told me not long since tina
he had seen in Chicago newspaper AM
several other Western journals, a para
graph in which it was said that | am il
the habit Of taking quinine as stimulent
that | have depended upon the excitemen
1t produces in writing my verses and that
in consequence of using it in that way,
had become as deaf as post AS TO m
deafness, you know that to be false, an
the rest of the story Is equally so.
J abominate all drugs and narcotics, an
have always carefully avoided everythin
which spurs nature 70 sexeEtons which
would not otherwise make. Even wit
my food do not take the usual condl
-ments, such as pepper and the like.
am, sir, truly yours, W. 0. BRYANT.
--Bacchus has drowned more men tina