all easily digested, and that the
student, leading an inactive muscular life, does not require the heavy,
hearty food of the laborer.

The most perfect regimen for the intellectual life is precisely what would
be advised for the growing boy: frequent _small_ supplies of
easily-digested food, that the stomach may never be overloaded, or the
brain clouded by the fumes of half-assimilated food. If our boy trains for
a foot-race, rows with the college crew, or goes in for base-ball, his
power as a brain-worker at once diminishes. Strong muscular action and
development hinder continuous mental work; and the literary life, as a
rule, allows no extremes, demanding only mild exercise and temperance as
its foundation-stones. But our boy can well afford to develop his muscular
system so perfectly that his mild exercise would seem to the untrained man
tolerably heavy work.

The rower in a college crew requires six weeks of training before his
muscular power and endurance have reached their height. Every particle of
superfluous fat must be removed, for fat is not strength, but weakness.
There is a vast difference between the plumpness of good muscular
development and the flabby, heavy overloading of these muscles with rolls
of fat. The chest must be enlarged, that the lungs may have full play, and
be capable of long-continued, extra draughts upon them; and special diet
and special exercise alone can accomplish these ends. All fat-producing
foods are struck out, sugar and all starchy foods coming under this head,
as well as all puddings, pies, cakes, and sweets in general. Our boy,
after a short run, would breakfast on lean, under-done beef or mutton, dry
toast, or the crust of bread, and tea without milk or sugar; would dine on
meat and a little bread and claret, and sup on more meat and toast, with
cresses or some acid fruit, having rowed twice over the course in the
afternoon, steadily increasing the speed, and following it by a bath and
rub. At least nine hours sleep must be had; and with this diet, at the end
of the training-time the muscles are hard and firm, the skin wonderfully
pure and clear, and the capacity for long, steady breathing under
exertion, almost unlimited. No better laws for the reduction of excessive
fat can be laid down for any one.

Under such a course, severe mental exertion is impossible; and the return
to it requires to be gradual. But light exercise with dumb-bells, &c.,
fresh air, walking, and good f