Connecticut western news., 1871-10-13
s' How to Live onla Sixpencesa Day."

z This is the title sof 9 little pamphlet just published byans English gentleman, Dr Nichols, in which he undertakes to show that ssthe average man" can not only live on sixpence a day, but that such living, like early risinga twill make him healthy, wealthy, and wise" Perhaps it was not to be expected that the six pencea day should cover the cost of clothes, .shouse- rent, rates, taxes, and other concomitants of civilization so we acquiesce with sigh in the propri- ety of leaving such matters out of the consideration. It is enough to be con vinced that, "so far as food and drink are concerned, every one can live com- fortably, nicely, and healthily, on six. pence day" We;are especially careful to mark the word drink; for we remem- Der that learned judge, being asked upon certain occasion whether thirsty locked-up jury might have some water supplied to them, said that 'as he didn't think it was meat, and he was quite sureit wasn't drink they might be al lowed to have it. "1
 We move cautiously forward, and the doctor soon shows of what he is capable.
 ssWhether we eat milk, butter, or cheese or beefsteak. or a mutton-chop, we eat grass at second hand" he says and all flesh is grass, :" he quotes in a sense which was certainly not intended in the Scriptural passage, and which would justify cannibalism, What conclusion is he about to draw Are we, in order to keep within our sixpence day, to follow the example of Nebuchadnezzar 1? But things are not quite so bad aaspwe fear. He puts his veto upon all flesh of land animals but he allows an occa- sional pennyworth of fish, and the grains, fruits, and vegetables he recommends are in number as the grains of sand on the seashore. If you wish to be real Eepicureeu sixpencega day, Ahspenny- Eworthssof potatoes and aap pennyW worth of fdded. .codAshsboiled togethsB ,theh both mashed and mixed together with 9 bit of butter, make an excellent dish. Add a pennyworth of greens and youanever need dine better.'' Of course. if you had to entertain some genteel person. age, you would add some ,ts cracked wheat, mush, milk, sugar, and stewed prunes. But the chief question in all these affairs is with what, ichoice liquor you are to wash down all these dainties; and the reply is rain-water. Filtered, If you like, but ini any, case, 1rain- water. The doctor declares that 1t were far bet ter to drink even light wines than tea and coffee, which, under certain circum- stances, entail all sorts of diseases, and especially paralysis and apoplexy. The fare he appears particularly to ree- 'Fommend is oatmeal assisted by rain water and he desires this combination to be taken in pleasant company, gayly and mirthfully, and in every case, with thanksgiving N, dHkT uE 3IEhnJ
 But has the doctor any examples to advance of persons who -hayeoS' really lived on sixpence or less a day? He has many; but it cannot be said that iI they are satisfactory or encouraging The cases he alludes to of persons who are believed to have lived on very little food, or ''noheg WhateHervv belong, as he justly observes, to the supernatural or der. The many abstemious saints, too, whom he mentions, by name, can not be considered to strengthen his cause for he undertakes to gratify the senses as well as satisfy the mere bodily wants of men, whereas the abstemiousness of the saints was confessedly penitential. Nor is the doctor more fortunate in the millions" who, according to his account,
 Give on less than ,sixpence g. day, :" He finds them in some poor-law unions, in the Irish .prisonss and in Tother places; but he makes no attempt to show that they find their condition s'delig htful to the senses," or that, however healthy they may be, they are wealthy, witty, | or wise '' -.----v,