Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-01-06
How a Literary Man Should Live

The editor of an EastorH health
magazine has been inviting W oiner-
ent noted literary men Of this country
to write and inform his readers how
they live, and also to give sFme par
ticulars about the hours thfy keep
and the method they adopt i n doing
their work. l don't know thPt under
ordinary circumstances | wotid nave
written an article in replv to this
editors communication, whifh L, In
common with other famoJls men,
read but he took such pains TO snow
in his letter that the publiss OF
these details would be of gre, et beneht
to all who are anxious to leap correct
lives, and more especially 10 those
young aspirants to fame VINO might
strive to emulate our works' even IL
they could never hope to rival US
This appeal induced me to write The
following article. and / have to con-
fess that it was with consida araole as
tonishment that l received back the
manuscript, which the edit9r curtly
informed me was unsuitable Tor his
publication. therefore give the
subject publicity now, and merely
make the foregoing explanation of the
origin of the article, so that my
numerous enemies will not charge me
with egotism in placing before the
people subjects that might generally
be supposed to interest myself alone.
l am not an advocate Of early ris-
ing. believe, however, that every
literary man should have fixed hours
for getting up. | am very hrm with
myself on that score. | make Vt a
rule to rise every morning IN winter
between the hours Of 6 and ii, and In
summer from halfpast 5 until 10. A
person is often tempted to sleep later
than the limit 1 tie myself to, but a
little resolution with a persons self at
first will be amply repaid by the time
thus gained and the feeling one has
of having conquered tendency to
Incidence. l believe that literary
man can all the sleep he needs
between Sv'clock at night and IL in
the morning. | know, 1 course,
that some eminent authorities disagree
with me, but l ara only stating my
own experience in the matter, and
don't propose to enter into any con-
troversy about it.
On rising avoid all stimulating
drinks, such as tea or coffee. They
are apt to set the brain working, and
| object to work even in its most dis
guised forms. A simple glass of hot
scotch-say half pint or so-serves
to tide over the period between getting
up and breakfast time. Many literary
men work before breakfast, but this L
consider very dangerous habit. l
try to avoid it, and so far have
been reasonably successful. rest
until breakfast time. This gives a
person zest for his morning meal.
For breakfast the simplest food is
the best. l begin with oyster stew,
then some cold chicken, next few
small lamb chops and mashed pota-
toes, after that goodsized beef steak
and fried potatoes, then a rasher Of
bacon with fried eggs (3), followed
by whitefish or two, the meal being
completed with some light, wholesome
pastry-mince pie for preference.
Care should be taken to avoid tea or
coffee, and | think word of warning
ought to go forth against milk. The
devastation that milk has wrought
among literary men is fearful to con-
template. They begin, thinking that
if they find it is hurting them, they
can break off, but too often before
they awaken to their danger the habit
has mastered them. avoid anything
at breakfast except large tumbler of
brandy, with little soda water added
to give it warmth and strength.
No subject is of more Importance
to the literary aspirant than the di-
viding of the hours of work. /
divide the hours as minutely as can,
and then take as few of the particles
as possible. owe much of my sue
cess in life to the fact that l never al
low work to interfere with the sacred
time between breakfast and dinner.
That is devoted to rest and thought.
Much comfort can be realized during
these hours by thinking what stir
you would make III the literary world,
if you could hire man, like Howells,
for 50 week, to do your work for
you. Such help | find it difficult to
obtain, and yet some people hold that
the labor market is overcrowded.
The great task for the forenoon
should be preparation for the midday
meal. The thorough enjoyment of
this meal has much TO do with n
, mans success in this life.