The Code of Health and Longevity

ON ATHLET I C EXERC I SES . 129 l^aed with a light dry diet, and unremitted exercife in the open air, I have feen fuch an alteration produced in the conftitution, as leads me to hope that much may be effefted in repelling the attacks of this difeafe, if the proper means be fufficiently early employed. Should this fketch of the mode of training the antient AthletXy which fuggefted thefe few hints concerning the influence of diet, air, and exercife, in counteraSing cer­ tain difeafed ftates of the conftitution, coincide with your plan of diffuling a more general knowledge of the means of preferving health, and preventing difeafe, I truft you will accept of them as a markof my refpeft for that wilh to ameliorate the condition of mankind, which appears on this occaliou to have direfted your efforts. I am. Sir, your moftobedient fervant, A. P. BUCHAN, Percy Street, London, 10th March 1806. F.S. The preceding obfervations being intended to indicate the phyfical changes poffibleto be efte£bed in the human conftitution, by a peculiar courfe of diet and ex­ ercife, combined with expofureto a pure air, perfifted in, during a time given, all remarks on the moral effects of pugiliilic exhibitiofis^ to which fuch a courfe of training, forms a neceffary prelude, have been intentionally avoid­ ed. This fubje^t has lately been difcuffed with equal acuteneis and propriety by Dr Bardfley, in" A Difler- " tation on the Ufe and Abufe of popular Sports and " Exercifes," publifhed in the laft volume of the Me­ moirs of a Literary and Philofophical Society atMan- chefter, which, hadit fallen into my hands before this account of thje mode of training the antient Athletce was trai>fmitted to you, would have faved me confiderable trouble. The reader will there find the different effects i produced