The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-05-03
A Letter From Mr.. Bryant.

A Letter From Mr.. Bryant.
The Herald of HsalA for May con-
tains the following:
AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM
l. WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.
io,.The following letter from Mr.. Bry-
iaant has been placed at our disposal tor
kpublication in the Herald of Health,
Eby Mr.. Richards; to whom it was adj
t.dressed.os contains a lesson of such
value to the thousands of young men
,iof our country regarding simplicity IN
diet, temperance AMI exercise, that we
/ hope it will be- read by them, not
so much togratify idle curiosity as to
gain knowledge that may be of great
service to them in the conduct OF their
lives:
New YoRK, March so, 1871.
To Joseph II. Richards, ESQ.,:
DEAR SlR--I promised, some time
since, to give you some account OF my
! habits OF life, so far, at least, as re-
tgards diet, exercise and occupation.
I Fam not sure it will be of any use to
you, although the sys.en have for so
many years observed seems to answer
my purpesevery wellaaI have reach
ed pretty advanced period of lie,
| without the usual infrmities of old
age, and with my strength. activity
and bodily faculties generally in pref
ty good preservation. How far this
may be the effect of my way of lite,
adopted long ago, and steadily adhered
to, is, perhaps, uncertain.
rise early at this time of the year
about half past five o'clock; in
summer half an hour, or even an hour
earlier. Immediately, with very little
incumbrauce of clothing, begin Sc
ries OF exercises, tor the most part de-
signed to expand the chest, and at the
same time call into action all the mus
cles and articulations Of the body
These are performed with dumb bells,
the very lightest, covered with flannel (;
with pole, a horizontal bar, and a
light chair swung around my head
After a full hour, and sometimes more,
passed in this manner, battle from
head to foot. When at MY place in
the Country. ! sometimes shorten my
exercises in the chamber, and going
out, occupy myself for halt an hour or
more in some work which requires
brisk exercise. After my bath, If the
breakfast be not ready, l sit down to
my studies until I am called.
MY breakfast is simple one-hom-
my and milk, or in place of hominy,
brown bread or oat meal, or wheaton
grits, and. in the season, baked apples.
Buckwheat cakes l do not decline, nor
any other article Of vegetable food,
but animals food never take in the
morning. Tea and coffee never
touch at any tiiue. Sometimes take
a cup of chocolate, which has no mar
cotic effect, and agrees with me very
well. At breakfast, often take fruit
either in its natural state or freshly
stewed.
After breakfas' I occupy myself for
awhile with my studies, and then,
when in town, l walk down to the of
flee of the Evening Post, nearly three
miles distant, and after about three
hours time return, always walking,
whatever be the weather or the state
OF the streets. In the country [ am
fengaged in my literary tasks till feel
ing Of weariness drives me out into
the 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. I do not often
drive out, preierring to walk. =
In the country l dine early, and it
is only at that meal that take either
meat or fish, and of these but mod
crate 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, when 1 dine later
I make but two meals day. Fruit
makes a considerable part of my diet
and I eat it at almost any hour of the
day without tinconvenience. My drink
4 is water, but som etifnes, though rare
ly, take glass of wine. / am nat
ural temperance man, and am rather
confused than eyhilarated by wine
l never meddle with tobacco, except to
quarrel with its use.
That / may rise early, l, of course,
go to bed early; in town as early as
ten; in the country somewhat earlier.
For many years 1 have avoided in the
evening every kind Of literary occupa-
ton which tasks the faculties, such as
composition, even to the writing of let
tiers, for the reason that it excites the
nervous system and prevents sound
sleep.
My brother told me, not long since,
that be had seen in Chicago news
paper, and several other Western jour
| nails. paragraph in which it was said
that 1 am in the habit Of taking qui-
nine as a stimulert, that | have de.
pended upon the excitement it produces
in writing my verses, and that, in con-
sequence of using it in that way, l
had become as deaf as post AS to
my deafness, you know that to be
false, and the rest of the story is
equally Sd. / abominate all drug:
and narcotics, and have always careful
ly avoided everything which spurs na
ture to exertions which it would not
otherwise make. Even with food l dc
not take the usual condiments, sucE