The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-06-27
Bryant's Daily Habits as Described by
Himself.

Following Is a letter written by MI.
Bryant to a friend in 1871, which gives a
clear and interesting idea of the course
of life which he pursued and by which
he was doubtless enabled to attain a Sc
rene and well-preserved old age.
my DEAR SIR:-I promised some
time since to give you some account of
my habits of life, SO far, at least, as re-
CARDS diet, exercise, and occupation. I
am not sure thatit will be of any use to
you, although the system which l have
for many years observed seems to an
swer my purpose very we'll. I have
reached a pretty advanced period in life
without the usual infrmities 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
years ago and steadily adhered to, is,
perhaps, uncertain.
81 rise early, at this time of the year
about $3.50; in summer, half an hour or
even an hour earlier. Immediately,
with little incumbrance of clothing, 1
begin a series of exercises, for the most
part designed to expand the chest, and
at the same time to call into action all
the muscles and articulations of the
body. These are performed with dumb
bells, the very Gghtest, covered with
flannel, with a pole, a horizontal bar,
and a light chair swung around my
head. After a full hour, and sometimes
more, passed in this manner, I battle
from head TO foot. When at my place
in the country I sometimes shorten my
exercise in the chamber, and, going out,
occupy myself for half an hour or more
in some work which requires brisk exer-
else. After my bath, if breakfast is
not ready, / sit down to studies till l
am called. My breakfast is a simple
one, hominy and milk, or in the place
of hominy brown bread or oat meal, or
wheaton grits, and in the season baked
sweet apples. Buckwheat cakes IGo not
decline, nor any other article of vege-
table food, but animal food 1 never take
at breakfast. Tea and coffee l never
touch at any time. SometimesI take a
cup of chocolate, which has nOAnarcotic
effect, and agrees with me very well. At
breakfast / often take fruit, either in its
natural state or freshly stewed. After
breakfast 1 first occupy myself for a
while withmy studies and then, when in
town, | walk down to the office of the
Evening Post, nearly three miles dis.
tant, and after about three hours return,
always walking, whatever be the
weather or the state of the streets. In
the country Lam engaged in my lit.
erary tasks till a feeling of WEAKNESS
drives M out into the open air, and
go upon my farm, or into the garden,
and prune the fruit trees or perform
such work about them which they need,
and then 60 back to my books. . do moi
often drive out, preferring to walk.
"In the country / dine early, and il
is at that meal that / take either meat
or fish, and out of these but a moderate
quantity, making my dinner mostly Of
vegetables. At the meal which is called
tea, I take only a little bread and but
ter, with fruit if it be on the table. Ii
town, where l dine later, I make but
two meals a day. Fruit makes a con
siderable part of my diet, and l eat il
almost any hour of the day without in
convenience. My drink is water, yet
sometimes, though rarely, take a glass o.
wine. l am a natural temperance man
finding myself rather confused than ex
hilarated by wine. Ineyer NEEDLE will
tobacco, except to quarrel with its use
That l may rise early, 1 of course go tt
bed early; in town as early as ten; il
the country somewhat earlier. Fo
many years / have avoided in the eve
ming every kind of literary occupation
which tasks the faculties, such as com
position, even to the writing of letters
for the reason it excites the nervou
system and prevents sound sleep.
"My brother told me not long sine
that he had seen in a Chicago paper ant
several other Western journals a para
graph in which it was said that l am in tn
habit of taking ~quinine as a stimulant
that / have depended on the excitemen
it produces in writing my verses, ant
that in consequence of using it in tina
way l had become as deaf as a post
As to my deafness, you know that to b
false, and the rest of the story is equal,
SO. 1 abominate all drugs and narcotics
and have always carefully avOide
everything which spurs nature to e2
ertions which it would not otherwis
make. Even with my food l do nc
take the usual condiments, such as pei
per and the like"
TIE latest triumph of Parisian novelt
is the exhibition bouquet" a tin
artificial rose to be worn in the buttor
hole, with a crystal dewdrop on n
the petals, and on looking into the dew