Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-05-05
HOW TO LIVE LONG AND WELL.
A Letter from William Cullen Bry-
ant-He Describes his Mode Of Life.

NEW Y DIRK, March ~, 1871.
To Joseph II. Richards, Esq.
DEAR -Ipromised some time
since % give you some account Of
my habits Of life, SO far at least as
regards diet, exercise, and occupa-
ton. | am not sure that it will be
of any use to you, although the sys
TEN which l have for many years
observed seems to answer my pur
pose very well. l have reached
a pretty advanced period Of life,
without the usual intirmities of old
age, and with my strength, activity,
and bodily faculties 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 uncertain.
! rise early; at this time of the
year about $50; in summer, half an
hour, or even an hour, earlier.
Immediately, with very little in
cumbrancc of clothing, l begin a
series of exercises, for the most
part designed to expand chest, and
at the same time call inc action all
the muscles and articulations of the
body. These are performed with
dumbbells, the very lightest, COW
cred with flannel; with pole, a
horizontal bar, and light chair
swung around the head. After
full hour, and sometimes more,
passed in this manner, | battle from
head to foot. When at my place in
the country, l 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, l
sit down to my studies until | am
called.
My breakfast is a simple one
hominy and milk, or, in place Of
hominy; brown bread, or oat meal,
or wheaton grits, and, in the season
baked sweet apples. Buckwhcat
cakes l do not decline, nor any
other article of vegetable food, but
animal food | never take at break
fast. Tea and coffee | never touch
at any time. Sometimes / take a
cup of chocolate, which has no
narcotic effect, and agrees with me
very well. At breakfast l often
take fruit, either in natural state
or freshly stewed.
After breakfast I occupy myself
for while with my studies, and
then, when in town, l walk down to
the office OF the Eoening Post,
nearly three miles distant, and after
about three hours return, always
walking, whatever be the weather
or the state Of the streets. In the
country l am 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
some other work about them which
they need, and then go back to my
books. | do not often drive out,
preterring to walk.
In the country dine early and it
is only at that meal that Iotakc
either meat or fish, and Of these
but moderate quantity, making
my dinner mostly OF vegetables.
At the meal which is. called tea, |
take only little bread and butter,
with fruit if it be on the table. In
town, where l dine later, l n..3:xe but
two meals day. Fruit makes a
considerable part Of my diet, and l
eat it at almost any hour Of the day
without Inconvenience. My drink
is water, yet sometimes, tho rare
ly, take u glass Divine. lam nat
ural temperance man, finding my
self rather confused than cxhilara-
ted by wine. ! never NEEDLE with
tobacco, except to quarrel with its
use. t'5
That may rise early, I, ofcourse,
go to bed early; in town, as early as
ten; in the country, somewhat
earlier. For many years | have
avoided in the evening every kind of
literary occupation which tasks the
faculties, such as composition, even
to the writing of letters, for the
reason that it excites the nervous
system and prevents sound sleep.
My brother told me not long since
that he had seen in Chicago news
paper, and several other Western
journals, paragraph in which it
was said that l am in the habit Of
taking quinine as stimulant; that
/ have depended upon the excite
ment it produces in writing my
verses; and that, in consequence Of
using it in that way, had become
as deaf as post. AS to my deaf
ness, you know that ia he false, aud
the rest Of the story Is equally 50,
| abominate all drugs and narcotics,
and have always carefully avoided
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