Year: 1861




When riding on a locomotive, last
week, and talking with the engineer,
as had the privilege Of doing, 1 could
not but think how much wiser men were
about iron and steel machines, than they
we're about aeshy and osscous machines.
The relation Of the pump to the capaci.
ty Of the boiler; the relation of the fur
mace to the size of the aues; the relation
Of the cylinder, or of the steam goner-
ated, to the work to be done-all these
things were in the engineers mind
lie was continuously. watching every
part, and opening and shutting valves
on every side so as to keep every part
in its proper condition The stoker
or fireman was applying or withhold
ing food, so as to keep the engine in
just that state in which it would work
best, according to whether we were
running on an upgrade or a down
grade, or on level ground, and accord
ing to the number and weight Of the
cars being drawn--for we we're draw
ing long aud ponderous train


Now how many are there who watch
their furnace, to see that they get in
neither too much nor too little iuel?-
Men shovel ia food without any regard
to what it is going to dol If it is the
Sabbath day, when they have less ain
and exercise than on other days, and
when their stomachs are not in a condi.
ton to digest as much food as on 9th.
or days, they eat a double portion. Tfit
is a day when they are to undergo severe
taxation, and work, and when they can
least afford to 60 without food, often.
times they become anxious and neglect
to eat because they are so anxious. As
a general rule, when the body needs the
basis Of food less than at any other
time, they eat the most, and when il
needs it moro than at any other time
they eat the least. Our food is a means
to an end. 1t is simply the fuel with
which we are to raise steam for carrying
on the purposes of life. A man should
eat as much on principle as he prays.
/ have been asked, sometimes, how
could perform so large an amount Of
work with apparently so little diminu
ton Of strength. I attribute my pow
er Of endurance to a long formed hab
it of observing, every day of my life
the simple laws of health--and none more
than the laws of eating. 1t has become
a second nature to me. 1t ceases any
longer to be matter of self-dcnial i
is almost like an instinct, If I had a
severe tax on my brain in the morning
cannot cat heartily at breakfast If
the whole day is to be one of nervous
eXortiOn, | eat very little till the exer
ton is over. know that two forces
cannot be concentrated in activity a
the same time in one body. I know
that when the stomach works the brain
must rest, and that when the brain works
the stomach must rest.


If l am going to be moving about on
Of doors a good deal, then can give
fuller swing to my appetito--which is
never exceedingly bad. But if am en-
gagged actively and successfully in men
tai labor, l cannot eat much. And
have made eating with regularity, anC
with reference to what ! have to do, {
habit so long, that it ceases any longe,
to be a subject Of thought 1t almos
takes care Of itself | attribute much
Of my ability to endure work to good
habits Of eating, and constant attention
to the laws Of sleep, physical exercise
and geniul chcerfulness.


There is one thing more to be said il
this connection 1t is not matter of
opieureauism that man should be dain
ty concerning the food he eats On tht
contrary | hold that a civilized mar
ought to be civilized in his cookery.
suppose one of the inmlliba signs of
the millennium will be bettcr-regula
ted kitchen--a kitchen THAT sends ou
food that will not make Christian men
sick!- Henry Ward Beechor