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We can only offer a literal translation to the reader who may have forgotten his French:

Fortified with his broken fast,

Catching a" gentle nap," waited his dinner: Youth in her flowery charms sparkled his face; His chin on his breast falls in triple-tier'd grace; And his body, rolled up in its fat dumpy fold, Makes the cushions beneath his weight grumble and scold. For young people, however, the napping propensity ought to be undoubtedly discouraged and resisted. As a rule, sleep ought to be wooed with an empty stomach; for the wasted energies of the body are recruited in one of two ways-either by food or sleep: the conjunction of both is a work of supererogation and error; witness late suppers, which are now much discarded, owing to the fulminations of the faculty of physic against the baneful old custom.

An authority we often take pleasure in bringing before our reader,* says:-" In tropical climates, where a burning sun quickly exhausts the sensibility of those actively employed, and to the extremely aged, who are subject to a like rapid dissipation of nervous force from the diminished rate at which it is generated, a brief interval of repose may be permitted in the course of the day-the siésta of southern countries; a practice scarcely allowable, except in the circumstances enumerated. It should always be adopted with caution, and only pursued for the purpose of a slight refreshment; otherwise it readily degenerates into a habit very prejudicial to health."

63. Those who are in the habit of "fuming the light cigar," will feel disposed to exercise their gift, at this period of their proceedings, as a kind of reward for hard work, and of course by way of helping the digestion of their dinner." This supererogatory amuse

I

* Mr. Davis, Manual of Health, p. 445.

ment has its advocates as well as its enemies, both in and out of the medical profession. Those who do smoke generally relish the luxury after dinner, and, if they avoid smoking in the earlier part of the day, they can't do themselves much harm if habituated to it; but they should use the privilege in great moderation, because it has an effect on the nervous system decidedly prejudicial when pushed to a constant habit of excess. In the morning part of the day, when you are doing the main stroke of your day's task, there is a real objection to be urged against smoking, because it narcotises, that is, depresses the system, when, in fact, you require all the "steam" you can muster. Towards the close of the day, we have ourselves sometimes taken a mild cigar by way of indulging and promoting good humour, alone or in company it is a very obsequious "compagnon de voyage." However, we are bound to state that many have seriously injured their health by smoking and snuffing. The heart may be affected by the active principle of the tobacco, called nicotianin, to so great an extent, as to forbid the practice of smoking;

"If the nicotianin be in large quantities, and the individual unaccustomed to its use, it may paralyze the heart, and render it totally unfit to persevere in its functions.--Such has been the case where smoking has been indulged to excess. As the smoker,' says Deslandes, makes a chimney of his mouth, his teeth become black, and fuliginous; his breath acquires a detestable odor, Hence cleanliness, and the preservation of the teeth require, that the mouth should be washed after smoking.' -Dunglinson's Elements of Hygiene. p. 385.

Dunglinson adds that

"Snuff-taking in excess, is apt to induce dyspepsia"-he alludes to "its obtunding effect upon the olfactory nerves-renders the voice disagreeably nasal, so that all public speakers should avoid its use to this extent."-(p. 384.)

Having so far smiled at the ornamental crown of the day's labour, as an innocuous accomplishment under restricted practice, we fancy we hear the gentle tap of the

snuff-box, as it has been chasing in mimic sport the decanter round the table; and the next who opens its fragrant treasury will not be behindhand with some little commendatory in prose or poetry, and, before discharging his pinch at his own olfactory battery, quotes off by heart

"A delicate pinch! oh, how it tingles up

The titillated nose, and fills the eyes

And breast, till, in one comfortable sneeze,
The full collected pleasure bursts at last!"

We now shall beat the drum for mustering to the last part of the day's march, when the hill-tops smile in a glowing sunset, and the renewed song of birds pipes gaily to the waning glories of the god of day. Across that meadowed plain, and towards yon skirting wood, lies a mile or two of agreeable walk. Away, then!

64. After a little progress, the grateful breeze dies away, the oppressive heat of noon returns, and clouds come on apace, betokening the approach of a thunderstorm, ere half the broad meadow is traversed, and the sheltering wood, a mile off yet, is impossible to reach. How suddenly the fair face of heaven can change! In the "Recreations of Christopher North," the subjoined description drenches us with wet in the very reading, of "A Storm, closing a Pleasure Excursion.-Well, that is very extraordinary.-Rain-rain-rain! All the eyes of heaven were bright as bright might be-the sky was blue as violets-that braided whiteness, that here and there floated like a veil on the brow of night, was all that recalled the memory of clouds--and as for the moon, no faintest halo yellowed round her orb, that seemed indeed one perfect chrysolite';-yet, while all the winds seemed laid asleep till morn, and beauty to have chained all the elements into peace--overcast in a moment is the firmament-an evanishing has left it black as mist - there is a fast, thick pattering on the woods

yes, rain-rain-rain-and ere we reach Bowness, the party will be wet through to their skins. Nay, matters are getting still more serious - for there was lightningyea, lightning! Ten seconds! and hark, very respectable thunder! With all our wisdom we have not been weather-wise, or we should have known, when we saw it, an electrical sunset. Only look now towards the west. There floats Noah's ark-a magnificent spectacle; and now for the flood. That far-off, sullen sound proclaims cataracts. And what means that sighing and moaning and muttering up among the cliffs? See-see how the sheet lightning shows the long lake shore all tumbling with foaming breakers. A strong wind is

there-but here there is not a breath. But the woods across the lake are bowing their heads to the blast. Windermere is in a tumult-the storm comes flying on wings all abroad-and now we are in the very heart of the hurricane. See, in Bowness is hurrying many a light-for the people fear we may be on the lake; and faithfu! Billy, depend on't, is launching his lifeboat to go to our assistance. Well, this is an adventure. But soft-what ails our argand lamp! Our study is in such darkness that we cannot see our paper-in the midst of a thunder-storm we conclude, and retire to bed by a flash of lightning.".

Under the presumption that our friends are involved in this common drenching and fearful calamity, we picture to ourselves their precipitation and eagerness to escape part of the desperate wetting, which hurries them to seek the only shelter that a solitary tree near at hand seems to invite them to run to; where, in common with the feathered fowl and lowing cattle, they may betake themselves in breathless haste and anxious alarm. The forked flash and instant crash repeat their awful visits with terrific rapidity, whilst the whole plain

around is deluged with the pouring rain! The party must surely be young and inexperienced in the common principles of Nature's wondrous laws, or they would have avoided the very shelter so kindly near. A wetting was all that they could commonly have experienced by "standing out to sea" in the open meadow: on the contrary, danger imminent and great awaits them under the tree; and hurry away they must, and that instantly, ere the next flash succeeds the dazzling one just gone! Why so? Because the electric fluid always, if sufficiently near-that is, if in what is technically called “striking distance," will follow the best conducting means towards the earth; and anybody in close neighbourhood or contact with such conductor, generally shares the effects of such transmitted agency. Metallic substances, particularly if bright, and moisture in every shape, are amongst the first conducting powers. The very rain itself, therefore, is a conducting medium of the lightning most favourable because most diffused; yet things of a more solid and projecting form will be rather chosen by the lightning in its course, owing to their attracting it and concentrating it upon themselves: when such is the case, the object is either frequently damaged in itself, or wherever the conducting medium is cut off from the ground by some other thing interposed between the latter and itself, upon such the electric fluid spends its force-shattering, injuring, scorching as the case may be; and then the object is said to have been "struck" by the electric current. Trees, buildings, and tall objects in general, especially when wet, attract the lightning; and, the less perfect their conduction may be, the more injury they are likely to sustain, as well also, objects close beside them: hence, when trees are struck, being shivered and burnt, cattle or men sheltering under them frequently lose their lives

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