The Code of Health and Longevity

ON ATHLET I C EXERC I SES . 8 5 books, that life and the body are but as a given quantity of living energy and living materials, to be expended and ufed with difcretion and economy; and that the fum of excitability, which is born with the child, is expended towards the clofe of life. The dodtrineof abrafion alfo intimates, that our folids are perpetually watting, and that it is by the diminution of moifture,—the aridity of folidSj-—the fcantinefs of fluids, and the flow induration of the folid parts, that the body becomes flirunk, ema­ ciated, ftifF andmotionlefs, before it finks into the grave. And, rafh as the doftrine feems, it has been boldly aflert- ed, that " tolive with as little food, and as little exer- " cife,as poflible, is the fureft means to preferve the " body, and to live long." To live with as little food, and as little exercife as poffible, would make a man little better than a mere grafshopper. A man living thus, would be a voluntary prifoner, wan, colourlefs, flefhlefs, bloodlefs, having no fpeculation in his eyes, no marrow in his bones ; his complexion would declare him what he was. This fyftem pra£lifed, either in infancy, in the prime of manhood, or in the decline of life, would abridge it. Afcetics are a proof, not of the length of life, which temperance infures, but of the premature old age which abftinence brings upon us. The fqualid look, the hollow cheek, the matted hair, the emaciated body, only prove how much, by fuch criminal felf-denial, the body fuflers, with but little profit to the powers of the mind. Let us then take care that our philofophy be not too fevere; for men may run into real danger, if we take from them every fair indulgence, or divert them from following the diftates of nature. The faireft livers, who have not abufed, but have enjoyed their ftrength and health, have in general enjoyed it longeft. / 3 Therc