New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-05
THE EVILS or EARLY RISING.

We suppose that even the poets, with the pos
slblc exception Of Mr. Alfred Austin. would al
init that poetry to-day does not get the consu-
Grafton II received in the good old days We no
longer look upon poet as sort II inspired beng
vlth q snccIal message to the world, ana thcre-
fore NOT 10 be Judged by the ordinary standards
thar onnlv to average men. As an oracle he
has been srlpplanted by the scientist. whose facts.
oven when stated in the most halting prose, are
esteemed as Of more value than the most sem
,llatlng fancies of the poet II is true the poets
still continue 10 sing: but they must often feel
that they sing to unhecding ears
In view of all this It is interesting TO note the
fact that in one matter science has actually come
70 the defence Of the poets. Everybody knows
that all wellconsltuted poets have written or
to sneak poctically. have sung IN praise of sleep,
and plenty Of ii. II is not necessary 10 give
EXAMPLES Of this for even Macaulay schoolpoy
knows It, Moreover while all poets advocate
sleep. there are some whom we might name VINO
induce that is another story. what we
want 10 impress on the reader IS the fact that
the poet has always stood up for sleep rs
sacred privilege and duty, even In this restless
and slecpcss age, when the time spent in sleep
is looked upon rs dead loss
But n we have said, science. In the person
of Dr. Scldcn II. Tacott the superintendent OF
an insane asylum at Middetown, y. \, has IN
This matter indorscd the views of the poets. we
do not understand that DR.. Talcott is poet
himself or that he holds brief for the poets
II may be that he did not have their Nlhulca-
ZION In mind nj all. But that only makes his
testimony 10 their vcraclty the more valuable
Briefly. he calls attention to the relative ire
ouency OF insanity among people who live on
farms 1t is usually said that this Is due TO the
isolation Of their lives their excessive toll ana
nossiby their inordinatr consumption OF PIE
and pork. But this explanation is far from CON
elusive: for against II must be put the fact that
farmers usually live temperate lives in the open
air and that they are almost wholly Tree from the
many forms of mental strain and ovcrwork that
do so much 10 produce insanity in other CLASSES
of the community DR.. Talcotts theory is that
insanity among farmers and the families OF
farmers IS largely due to their excessively early
hours Of rising. Early rising he thinks, is espe-
cially harmful 10 growing children. and may
cause such n arrangement Of their nervous sys-
TEN as Will make them easy victims 10 mental
disorders in later life. We are not in tho con
iidcnce of the farmers boy: but we think we
may asset, without fear Of contradiction. that
when he hears Of DR. Talcotts theory. II he
ever does he will at once look upon him rs the
creates, man that this age has produced. For
the necessity Of getting up early. except when
he Is going for days fishing, is the one great
sorrow in the life Of every wcll-oraVcd farmers
boy. When he had only the poets on his side he
could hardly hope for delivcrancc; but now. that
science has called attention to the deadly effects
of early rising the case is different The day
Of his redemption is dawnng
Seriously. the point that DR.. Talcott makes
is worth the consideration of others than farm
en-. A sound and sufficient sleep lies at the