VOL. III.

It is a now generally accepted fact that sedentary occupations are not healthy. And when sedentary habits are combined with active and persistent brain work, as in the case of most writers, the danger of physical disability is very much increased.

The literary worker, above all people, needs a long life. The maturity of thought and expression which enables him to do his greatest and best work does not come to him until late in life. And even to those who are most gifted, that fame which opens the door of opportunity and brings to the successful author that which his delicate sensibilities need to call out his highest powers, appreciation, does not fall to his share until middle life at least.

Therefore, it behooveth the writer, in the very beginning of his career, to form habits which shall assist him to conserve, as long as possible, a high degree of physical health and vigor.

The most necessary thing to health of the

No. 1.

body is exercise. On this point nature is. inexorable. On every slothful member she is continually pronouncing the irrevocable sentence, "Take away even that which he hath,” and the unused organ is certain to lose its strength and fall an easy prey to disease.

Among the most beneficial forms of exercise is walking in the open air. Brain workers in the city often take a street car from habit, or to save time, when a one or two mile walk would be much better for their health. Every writer should see to it that he takes such a walk at. least once a day.

The writer who works eight or ten hours a day at his desk should take other exercise also. For this purpose dumb bells are favorites with some, and are very good. I use Indian clubs, which I like even better. It is said that William Cullen Bryant, who preserved his bodily vigor to a good old age, was in the habit of taking exercise by bending backward over a wooden chair two or three times in succession, and performing sundry other feats with the same instrument every morning. For a lady, the Delsarte movements, which may be learned from a book, are excellent. Anything that will exercise every muscle every day will answer the purpose.

To be kept in prime working order, the brain must have plenty of pure blood. It is in the lungs that the blood is purified with our every breath, and therefore it is necessary that the lungs should be kept in good condition and plenty of fresh oxygen taken into them. To accomplish this, the ventilation of both sleeping and working rooms should be carefully looked after. Lung gymnastics, that is, the alternate filling of the lungs to their fullest capacity by inhaling pure air, and then expell