Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-06-01
Ihe Resi- Time for Mental Labor.

The Best Time for Mental Labor
Under this heading Colonel Nc
Gowan, editor of the OhattSnoog
Times, and certainly one of the mos
vigorous and incisive writer's Of thi
country, writes as follows
An experience of many years il
pretty close mental exertion. conviRcei
us that the most favorable tine OF day
for doing ones best thinking and
writing is the morning, A literary
laborer should not retire late. His
sleep must be ample and undisturbed
He should rise as early as seven in the
morning, and 90 straight from his
toilet to his coffee, eat light break
fast and give the stomach halt an
hour to get we'll on with its disposal
OF the meal. This time may be spent
in running over the morning paper.
Then leisurely walk of q half mile
or mile will fit you to begin the labor
of the day. If clipping" is to be done,
sorting, noting heads of subjects, etc.,
the best time for it is from S to 10 a.
m. During these two hours arrange
in the mind the topics to be treated
Of. and think out" the general mode
of treatment. Write as rapidly as
possible from 10 until IL or half past,
leaving as little Of importance as may
be for the afternoon.
These outlines must, Of course, be
widely deviated from in the jading aud
desultory work of the editor. of daily
journal. But those who stick closest
to them will do the best work, and
most of it other conditions, natural
and artificial, being favorable.
The mind will go on in the AFTER
noon, and even until late at night, on
work it has been familiarized with in
the fresh hours of the morning; but
the movement will resemble the roll
ing of a boulder down a hillside.
There will be webbing sidewise, up
and down bouncing. The substance
may be secured but the style will lack
vigor, interest and directness.
Above all things, writers who would
conserve their health and mentnl
powers, should taboo the outrageous
trash which advises them to burn
the midnight oil. :" Such burning
consumes the mental taper, and has
led more writers into habits Of ruin.
GUS dissipation than have all other
causes. The exhausting effect of night
work in room lighted by an argand
burner close to the laborer's head. con-
Stunning the oxygen he should breathe.
rendering the room several degrees
hotter than it would naturally be; this
is what unstrings the physical man and
betakes him to "bracing up" Sleep
Of a man who labors late into the
night is unnatural in its period. He
tosses about in nervous jim Jams until
nearly morning, and is barely asleep
when the sun warns the air, floods his
room with disturbing light forces ex-
clusion OF fresh air to secure unnatu-
raj darkness.
Another rule should be carefully |
observed: Never work the brain when |
the stomach is full or the system un |
der the influence Of stimulant. Edi-
tors who inspire" themselves with |
champagne and brandy are apt to be
reckless in statement and too ford in |
style to b. sensible. If writer's must
stimulate, let it be after the day work
is done and when the brain is COM
parstively at rest.
Finally, If this comes under the eye
of any young man ambitious OF sue
cess in the higher walks of journalism,
let him follow in all things our pre-
ceptS aud not be particular about our
example-"dO as we say, and not as
we do"