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before middle life； and many a delicate and slightly constituted
person outliving the athletes and the beauties of their generation。
Whether the excessive development of the muscular system is
compatible with the best condition of general health is； I think；
more than doubtful。 The muscles are great sponges that suck up and
make use of large quantities of blood； and the other organs must be
liable to suffer for want of their share。
One of the Seven Wise Men of Greece boiled his wisdom down into two
words； NOTHING TOO MUCH。 It is a rule which will apply to food；
exercise； labor； sleep； and； in short； to every part of life。 This
is not so very difficult a matter if one begins in good season and
forms regular habits。 But what if I should lay down the rule； Be
cheerful； take all the troubles and trials of life with perfect
equanimity and a smiling countenance？ Admirable directions！ Your
friend； the curly…haired blonde； with florid complexion； round
cheeks； the best possible digestion and respiration； the stomach of
an ostrich and the lungs of a pearl…diver； finds it perfectly easy to
carry them into practice。 You； of leaden complexion； with black and
lank hair； lean； hollow…eyed； dyspeptic； nervous； find it not so easy
to be always hilarious and happy。 The truth is that the persons of
that buoyant disposition which comes always heralded by a smile； as a
yacht driven by a favoring breeze carries a wreath of sparkling foam
before her； are born with their happiness ready made。 They cannot
help being cheerful any more than their saturnine fellow…mortal can
help seeing everything through the cloud he carries with him。 I give
you the precept； then； Be cheerful； for just what it is worth； as I
would recommend to you to be six feet； or at least five feet ten； in
stature。 You cannot settle that matter for yourself； but you can
stand up straight； and give your five feet five its full value。
You can help along a little by wearing high…heeled shoes。 So you can
do something to encourage yourself in serenity of aspect and
demeanor； keeping your infirmities and troubles in the background
instead of making them the staple of your conversation。 This piece
of advice； if followed； may be worth from three to five years of the
fourscore which you hope to attain。
If； on the other hand； instead of going about cheerily in society；
making the best of everything and as far as possible forgetting your
troubles； you can make up your mind to economize all your stores of
vital energy； to hoard your life as a miser hoards his money； you
will stand a fair chance of living until you are tired of life；
fortunate if everybody is not tired of you。
One of my prescriptions for longevity may startle you somewhat。 It
is this： Become the subject of a mortal disease。 Let half a dozen
doctors thump you； and knead you； and test you in every possible way；
and render their verdict that you have an internal complaint； they
don't know exactly what it is； but it will certainly kill you by and
by。 Then bid farewell to the world and shut yourself up for an
invalid。 If you are threescore years old when you begin this mode of
life； you may very probably last twenty years； and there you are；an
octogenarian。 In the mean time； your friends outside have been
dropping off； one after another； until you find yourself almost
alone； nursing your mortal complaint as if it were your baby； hugging
it and kept alive by it；if to exist is to live。 Who has not seen
cases like this；a man or a woman shutting himself or herself up；
visited by a doctor or a succession of doctors （I remember that once；
in my earlier experience； I was the twenty…seventh physician who had
been consulted）； always taking medicine； until everybody was reminded
of that impatient speech of a relative of one of these invalid
vampires who live on the blood of tired…out attendants； 〃I do wish
she would get wellor something〃？ Persons who are shut up in that
way； confined to their chambers； sometimes to their beds； have a very
small amount of vital expenditure； and wear out very little of their
living substance。 They are like lamps with half their wicks picked
down； and will continue to burn when other lamps have used up all
their oil。 An insurance office might make money by taking no risks
except on lives of persons suffering from mortal disease。 It is on
this principle of economizing the powers of life that a very eminent
American physician； Dr。 Weir Mitchell； a man of genius；has
founded his treatment of certain cases of nervous exhaustion。
What have I got to say about temperance； the use of animal food； and
so forth？ These are questions asked me。 Nature has proved a wise
teacher； as I think； in my own case。 The older I grow； the less use
I make of alcoholic stimulants。 In fact； I hardly meddle with them
at all； except a glass or two of champagne occasionally。 I find that
by far the best borne of all drinks containing alcohol。 I do not
suppose my experience can be the foundation of a universal rule。 Dr。
Holyoke； who lived to be a hundred； used habitually； in moderate
quantities； a mixture of cider； water； and rum。 I think； as one
grows older； less food； especially less animal food； is required。
But old people have a right to be epicures； if they can afford it。
The pleasures of the palate are among the last gratifications of the
senses allowed them。 We begin life as little cannibals；feeding on
the flesh and blood of our mothers。 We range through all the
vegetable and animal products； of nature； and I suppose； if the
second childhood could return to the food of the first； it might
prove a wholesome diet。
What do I say to smoking？ I cannot grudge an old man his pipe； but I
think tobacco often does a good deal of harm to the health；to the
eyes especially； to the nervous system generally； producing headache；
palpitation； and trembling。 I myself gave it up many years ago。
Philosophically speaking； I think self…narcotization and self…
alcoholization are rather ignoble substitutes for undisturbed self…
consciousness and unfettered self…control。
Here is another of those brain…tapping letters； of similar character；
which I have no objection to answering at my own time and in the
place which best suits me。 As the questions must be supposed to be
asked with a purely scientific and philanthropic purpose； it can make
little difference when and where they are answered。 For myself； I
prefer our own tea…table to the symposia to which I am often invited。
I do not quarrel with those who invite their friends to a banquet to
which many strangers are expected to contribute。 It is a very easy
and pleasant way of giving an entertainment at little cost and with
no responsibility。 Somebody has been writing to me about 〃Oatmeal
and Literature；〃 and somebody else wants to know whether I have found
character influenced by diet； also whether； in my opinion； oatmeal is
preferable to pie as an American national food。
In answer to these questions； I should say that I have my beliefs and
prejudices； but if I were pressed hard for my proofs of their
correctness； I should make but a poor show in the witness…box。 Most
assuredly I do believe that body and mind are much influenced by the
kind of food habitually depended upon。 I am persuaded that a too
exclusively porcine diet gives a bristly character to the beard and
hair； which is borrowed from the animal whose tissues these stiff…
bearded compatriots of ours have too largely assimilated。 I can
never stray among the village people of our windy capes without now
and then coming upon a human being who looks as if he had been split；
salted； and dried； like the salt…fish which has built up his arid
organism。 If the body is modified by the food which nourishes it；
the mind and character very certainly will be modified by it also。
We know enough of their close connection with each other to be sure
of that； without any statistical observations to prove it。
Do you really want to know 〃whether oatmeal is preferable to pie as
an American national food〃？ I suppose the best answer I can give to
your question is to tell you what is my own practice。 Oatmeal in the
morning； as an architect lays a bed of concrete to form a base for
his superstructure。 Pie when I can get it； that is； of the genuine
sort； for I am not patriotic enough to think very highly of the
article named after the Father of his Country； who was first in war；
first in peace；not first in pies； according to my standard。
There is a very odd prejudice against pie as an article of diet。 It
is common to hear every form of bodily degeneracy and infirmity
attributed to this particular favorite food。 I see no reason or
sense in it。 Mr。 Emerson believed in pie； and was almost indignant
when a fellow…traveller refused the slice he offered him。 〃Why；
Mr。________ ；〃 said be； 〃what is pie made for！〃 If eve