Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-09-03
Hnm 1o go to sIeen.

rules IOr lntrOSpectlOn Wnlcn Dlu you
after you have retired to rest, review the
day which has passed, and examine
your failure or success. 1t is question
at the best, how frequent such examina
tions should be; probably, at the most,
not more often than three times in a
year. However this is to be, such an
examination is never to be made after
you have gone to bed. When j come to
show you the methods of sleep, | will
show why Distrust, again, all old saws
about six hours sleep for a maid, and
seven hours sleep for a man, and the
like, which undertake to regulate for
you, as by some vermilion edict of a
Chinese emperor, your performance OF
this absolute duty. You can find out
for.yourself, at least with the assistance
of your physicisn, how many hours of
sleep you require, and, as we live, it is
much more likely that you require nine
hours of each twenty-four, than that you
can make six answer. The rule for
the decision as to this duty for the
night comes in the rule for the duty
of the arrangement for the day That
rule is this, as well stated by Thomas
Drew: That no man has any right in a
single day to incur more fatigue than
the sleep of the ensuing night will re-
cover from. No man has any right to
draw on the capital of his lite, that is,
or, more simply put, no man has any
right to commit suicide by inches De-
termine for yourself, then, how. mauy
hours of sleep you need. Remember
that the bedstead is built, the mattress
laid, the sheets and blankets spread,
that you may fulfill this duty, aud for
no other purpose. The bed is not a
confessional, in which you are to tell
the story of your sins to that exacting
and morbid priest, yourself The bed
is not little cabinet set off from your
countingroom, in which you are to finish
the calculations which were interrupted
by the bores who came in at your office
hours. You 90 to bed to sleep, and for
nothing else.
For similar reasons, distrust all the
opening choruses of "Somnambula, and
ali the other sentimental poetry which
teach you that early rising is, of itself, a
virtue and praise, when II is not based
upon the legitimate conditions. The
rising of the sun is, indeed, one of the
spectacles which never disappoints one,
and the freshness of morning has glory
which is all its own. The instincts Of
life are then at their truest; and in the
open air, beneath that blushing sky, the
man, newborn, does know the victory
of life as nowhere else, and at no other
time. But he must not think to enjoy
the spectacle unless he has earned it. If
this banquet is not spread for him, he
must not taste; nay, nor even look on
Let him never dare, by any spasm Of
early rising, to usurp a throne which is
intended for other princes. His first
duty is to Gil out the hours of sleep
which he knows he needs, before he at
tempts the duties of that day. When he
has done so, let him arise from his bed
with the majesty and promptness of
child of God, who is lord OF his own
Till he has done so, let
him never think to share the glories of
the Injuries which are not his own. s
You are a fool if you cannot lind out,
by a simple experiment, how this matter
is with You individually. Do not ask
even the doctor for q rule 1t is to be
that people often lie awake
from hunger. BE will keep you awake,
as thoroughly as that indiges-
tible lobster.Ealad did. II Is to be re-
also, as Dr. Hammond says,
that most American women, Vt least OF
the cities. sre underfed In the lite Of
large toxns they often live on slops in
stead of food; end they do not have OPP
for healthy appetite Re
these two things SO often 4
forgotten, advise for sleepers who have
not tired, to start carefully on "a slight
as the Roman FIbFic says, be-
lore going to bed-say soda--bisoplt,
hat you can put in the saucer in your
as you 90 up stairs; some
hing Of easy digestion, that you may
make sure that you are not kept awake
~ hunger You will very soon be able to
iay how far this slight collation. may
,e carried ~
The best night-cap Of all is a fresh
Valk, of a mile or two, with lively com
,alion, in The open air, Come home
rom il in glow, with the feet and legs
warm with exercise, take your candle
md your cracker, bid the rest good
light, and your chances are good, if you
ave not worked the brain since five
'clock, of knowing nothing and regret
ing nothing till morning. This is on
he suppositi0D that you have u window
pen IN your bedroom, or some equally |
.fieient ventilation. For people who
refer the asphyxia Of carbonic acia 70
he sweet sleep ct nature, ! have nothing
q say. Bat graat tksGe not difficult /
on ditiOns, OF well-considered laziness
or the last sYe hours Of the day; brisk !