rehensions that it cannot dismiss, which
fights through the sleepless night the phantoms of unconquerable horror.

NOTE.--The bad effect of literary composition on the physical state
which was observed by Wordsworth in his own case was also noticed by
Shelley during the composition of the "Cenci," which, he said, had
been a fine antidote to nervous medicines, and kept, he believed, the
pain in his side "as sticks do a fire." These influences are best
observed in people whose health is delicate. Although Joubert, for
example, had an extremely clear intellect, he could scarcely write at
all on account of the physical consequences. I have come to the
conclusion that literary work _acts simply as a strong stimulant_. In
moderate quantities it is not only innocent, but decidedly beneficial;
in excess it acts like poison on the nervous system. What constitutes
excess every man has to find out by his own experience. A page was
excess to Joubert, a chapter was moderation to Alexandre Dumas.

LETTER III.

TO A STUDENT IN UNCERTAIN HEALTH.

Habits of Kant, the philosopher--Objection to an over-minute
regularity of habit--Value of independence of character--Case of an
English author--Case of an English resident in Paris--Scott an
abundant eater and drinker--Goethe also--An eminent French
publisher--Turgot--Importance of good cookery--Wine drinking--Ale--The
aid of stimulants treacherous--The various effects of tobacco--Tea and
coffee--Case of an English clergyman--Balzac--The Arabia custom of
coffee-drinking--Wisdom of occasionally using stimulants.

IMMANUEL KANT, who was a master in the art of taking care of himself,
had by practice acquired a dexterous mode of folding himself up in the
bed-clothes, by passing them over and under his shoulders, so that, when
the operation was complete, he was shut up like the silkworm in his
cocoon. "When I am thus snugly folded up in my bed," he would say to his
friends, "I say to myself, can any man be in better health than I am?"

There is nothing in the lives of philosophers more satisfactory than
this little passage. If Kant had said to himself, "Can anybody be wiser,
more learned, more justly deserving of immortal fame than I am?" we
should have felt, that however agreeable this opinion might have been to
the philosopher who held it, his private satisfaction stood in need of
confirmation from without; and even if he had really been all this,