Year: 1859

BRAIN WoRK.-Over-work Of the brain.
against which we hear so many people cry,
and which we hear so many cosy-looking
men deplore very complacently in their
own persons, is not by good deal so dam
gerous as under work Of the brain, that
rare and obscure calamity from which mo-


body is supposed ever to suffer. The Rev
Onesimus Howl droops his chin, eleva,es
his eys, upsets his digestion with excess of
tea and muffin, and supports, upon the
doughy face be thus acquires, a reputation
for the great strain on his brains caused by
the outpouring of weekly puddle of words.
His friends labor to prop up his brain with
added piles of muffin. Paler becomes his
face, and more idiotic his expression, as he
lives from New Years day to New Years
day, rafting about in his empty head the
few ideas of other men he has contrived to
borrow, and tranquility claims all the
sweets of indulgence on account of the
strain put upon his wits. DR. Porpice is
wheeled about from house to house in his
brougham, prescribes his cordials and his
mild aperients, treats, by help of what
know ledge gathered from past generation
may happen to have grown into his habit
of practice, all the disease he sees now
and then turns to book when he isl pug
zled, but more commonly dozes after din.
ner. Yet very gladly does the doctor..hear
the talk about immense strain upon his
mind, large practice, great responsibility,
ard the wondering that one poor head can
carry all he knows. He seldom passes a
day without having taken care to confde to
somebody that be is over-worked. Once q
week, indeed, if his practice be large, he
may be forcedint some effort to use his
brains, but that lie does really exercise
them once week, am not certain. The
lawyer elevates his rou tine into crash of
brain-work. The author and the merchant
fatter themselves, or account themselves
f1attered, by an application TO their labors
also OF the same complimentary coincidence.
The truth is, that hard work of the brain,
taken alone--apart from griefs and fears,
from forced or voluntary stinting of the
body's need of social intercourse--does
infinitely more 10 prolong life and strength
en- reason IN the workers than to cut or fray
the thread OF either. Aien break down un-
der the grind of want, under strain of
continuous denial to the body of its halfa-
dozen hours day of sleep, its few neces-
sary pounds of wholesome food, and its oc-
casional exercise of tongue and legs. IL
an author spends his whole life in his study,
his mind fails under the pressure of the
solitary system. If great lawyer refuses
himself month after month the necessary
fourth part of the day for sleep, he wears
his brain out, not by repleton of study, but


by privaton of something else. Under all
ordinary circumstances no man who per-
forms worn for which he is competent is
called upon TO deny himself the first neces-
saries OF life. except during short periods
of encroachment which occur to men in
every occupation, and which seldom are Of
long duration, and can almost invariably be
followed by a long period of ease sufficient
for recovery. Healthy men, who have bed
and board assured 10 them, while they can
eat, sleep, stir, and be merry, will have
sound minds, though they work their brains
all day, and provide them for the other five
or six hours with that light employment
which is the chief toll Of Doctor Porpice
or the Reverend Onesimus.-Household


Words.