If it is unwholesome, ill-prepared, and indigestible—the Body languishes, and is exhausted even in its youth—its strength and faculties daily decrease, and it sinks beneath the weight of the painful sensations attendant on a state of Decay.
Would to Heaven that a Cook could help our Stomachs, as much as an Optician can our Eyes: our Existence would be as much more perfect than it now is, as our Sight is superior to our other Senses.
“The vigour of the Mind decays with that of the Body—and not only Humour and Invention, but even Judgment and Resolution, change and languish, with ill constitution of Body and of Health.”—Sir William Temple.
The following account of the successful REDUCTION OF CORPULENCE AND IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTH, the Editor can vouch for being a faithful statement of Facts.
30 January, 1821.
MY DEAR SIR,
In consequence of the Conversation I had with you, upon the advantages I had derived from Exercise and attention to Diet in the reduction of Weight, and your desire that I should communicate as far as I recollect them, the particulars of my Case; I have great pleasure in forwarding to you the following Statement.
I measure in height six Feet and half an Inch,—possess a sound Constitution and considerable activity.—At the age of Thirty I weighed about 18 Stone—two years afterwards I had reached the great weight of nineteen Stone, in perfect Health, always sleeping well and enjoying good Appetite and Spirits—soon after, however, I began to experience the usual attendants on fullness of Habit, a disinclination to rise in the morning from drowsiness, heaviness about the Forehead after I had risen, and a disposition to Giddiness;—I was also attacked by a complaint in one of my Eyes, the Symptoms of which it is unnecessary to describe, but it proved to be occasioned by fullness of blood, as it was removed by cupping in the temple. I lost four ounces of blood from the temple; and thinking that the loss of a little more might be advantageous, I had eight ounces taken from the back; and in order to prevent the necessity, as far as possible, of future bleeding, I resolved to reduce the system—by increasing my Exercise and diminishing my Diet.
I therefore took an early opportunity of seeing Mr. Jackson, (whose respectability and skill as a teacher of sparring is universally acknowledged,) and after some Conversation with him, determined upon acting under his Advice.
I accordingly commenced Sparring, having provided myself with flannel Dresses, which I always used, being extremely careful on changing them to avoid the risk of cold, and I recollect no instance in which I was not successful.