Modern Athletics 1868

74 MODERN ATHLETICS. this point nothing is better for dinner than a pint of good dry champagne, provided a man is trong and there- lore does not want tomake blood, which, as I have stated before, amatenrs seldom want. Many advocate old ale, but the difficultyis to get it good and unadulterated ex- cept in the country. Port, sherry, stout, and all spirits are heating, and therefore consume the vital power of the body; although the former must of course be given in case a man is " trained off" or weak. Of other wines besides champagne, goodsound claret isthe best, but care must be taken that it does not produce diarrhoea in hot weather. If old ale is taken,a pint shouldbe the quantity, and if one or two glasses of port wine are required after dinner, in the caseof weak constitutions, notmore than half a pint of ale is required. Of all liquids, however, champagne is thebest, as it givesa man energy and life, without producing heaviness and fulness like port wine. If dessert is taken, one orange, or two or three Turkey figs are the best; but any fruiitn season, freshlyplucked, is admissible, as it promotes digestion. By far the best time, however, to take fruit is in the morning at break­ fast, before the sunhas been on it. No sugar must be eaten with ^ it. It is as bad to eat directly after hard exercise as it is todo so just before, since the blood isdis­ tributed in those^parts of thebody which have been exer­ cised. ^ The evening meal,whether tea or supper, should be as light as possible; it is most injurious to the diges­ tive organs to eat heartily before sleep. Half a pint, or even more if desired, of tea or old ale may be taken, and of food much the same description as at breakfast, though less in quantity, for thereasons just stated. Many advo­ cate a basin of gruel at the evening repast. Although it is undoubtedly strengthening,its general efficiency may be doubted, for it suits the palates of very few except those accustomed toit; andone of the greatest pointsm training is notto compel a man to eat anyfood which is distasteful to^him. In the abovedietary more than two pints of liquid are allowed in the day: the theory of " stinting a man's liquor," as it is vulgarly termed, is a most fallacious_ one and quite contrary to nature, since when a man is in training he perspires through exercise, and the quantity ofliquid thus exudedmust to a certain extent be replaced. There is only one restriction that must be placed on taking more than two pints odf rink during