Of the two ways of fertilizing the Brain—by Sleep, or by Spirituous Stimulus—(for some write best in the Morning, others when wound up with Wine, after Dinner or Supper:) the former is much less expensive—and less injurious to the constitution than either Port, or Brandy, whose aid it is said that some of our best Authors have been indebted to, for their most brilliant productions.
Calling one day on a literary friend, we found him reclining on a Sofa—on expressing our concern to find him indisposed, he said, “No, I was only hatching,—I have been writing till I was quite tired—my paper must go to Press to day—so I was taking my usual restorative—A Nap—which if it only lasts five minutes, so refreshes my Mind—that my Pen goes to work again spontaneously.”
Is it not better Economy of Time, to go to sleep for half an hour,—than to go on noodling all day in a nerveless and semi-superannuated state—if not asleep, certainly not effectively Awake—for any purpose requiring the Energy of either the Body, or the Mind.
“A Forty Winks Nap,” in an horizontal posture, is the best preparative for any extraordinary exertion of either.
Those who possess, and employ the powers of the Mind most—seldom attain the greatest Age[25]:—see Brunaud de L’Hygiene des Gens de Lettres, Paris, 8vo. 1819:—the Envy their Talent excites,—the Disappointment they often meet with in their expectations of receiving the utmost attention and respect, (which the world has seldom the gratitude to pay them while they live,) keep them in a perpetual state of irritation and disquiet—which frets them prematurely to their Grave[26].
To rest a whole Day—under great fatigue of either Body or Mind, is occasionally extremely beneficial—it is impossible to regulate Sleep by the hour;—when the Mind and the Body have received all the refreshment which Sleep can give, people cannot lie in Bed, and till then, they should not Rise[27].
“Preach not me your musty Rules
Ye Drones, that mould in idle cell;
The Heart is wiser than the Schools,
The Senses always reason well.”
Comus.
Our Philosophical Poet here gives the best practical maxim on the subject for Valetudinarians—who, by following his advice, may render their Existence, instead of a dull unvaried round of joyless, useless self-denial,—a circle of agreeable sensation;—for instance, go not to your Bed till You are tired of sitting up—then remain in an Horizontal posture,—till You long to change it for a Vertical: thus, by a little management, the inevitable business of Life may be converted into a source of continual Enjoyment.
All-healing Sleep soon neutralizes the corroding caustic of Care—and blunts even the barbed arrows of the marble-hearted Fiend, Ingratitude.
When the Pulse is almost paralysed by Anxiety,—half an hour’s repose, will cheer the circulation, restore tranquillity to the perturbed spirit—and dissipate those heavy clouds of Ennui, which sometimes threaten to eclipse the brightest Minds, and best Hearts.—Child of Woe, lay thy Head on thy pillow, (instead of thy Mouth to the bottle,) and bless me for directing Thee to the true source of Lethe—and most sovereign Nepenthé for the Sorrows of Human Life.