In  any  case  I  would,  at  least,  let  my  own  children,
for  weeks  together,  climb,  leap,  swim,  run  races,  play
at  ball  and  nine  pins ;  but  I  would  also  just  as  soon,
for  weeks  together,  let  them  dig  like  a  burrowing
mole,  or  be  kept  quiet  like  a  person  recovering  from
scarlet  fever;  and  this  not  that  they  become  weU,
but  may  continue  well ;  and  in  a  century  given  more
to  sitting  than  to  speaking,  may  bring  with  them  so
much  sitting  faculty  that  they  may  not  suffer  penance
on  their  bench  every  session.  At  least,  I  would
exercise  the  strong  in  sitting  as  much  as  the  weak
in  exercise.  I  would  also  rather  set  them  to  hard
bodily  labour  in  the  evening  than  in  the  morning,
and  so  cause  physical  exertion  to  follow,  not  precede,
mental.  Sitting  and  thinking  after  violent  exercise
is  not  nearly  so  healthy  or  agreeable  as  the  reverse.
Active  exercise  in  the  morning,  as  an  excitement  to
the  sluggish  early  pulse,  along  with  the  greater  ex-
citability experienced  at  that  time  will  frequently
exhaust  for  the  whole  day.  The  leaps  which  boys
practise  on  their  way  from  school  show  the  bent  of
nature.  In  spite  of  all  these  reasons  I  would  yet
do  the  opposite — not  always,  but  yet  occasionally,
in  order  to  inure  the  body  to  it

I  will  now  close  my  letter,  which  consists  almost
entirely  of  postscripts,  because  I  constantly  intended
to  conclude,  and  always  went  on.  Fare  you  well,
and  your  wife  still  better.  J.  P.  F.  R.
PHYSICAL  EDUCATION,  179

P.  S.  If  you  should  have  purchased  Dr.  Marschall's
"  Instructions  for  the  care  of  Mothers,  Children,  &c.
