's philosophies, Antoninus, and Seneca.

* Livy, Sullust, Caesar, Cicero's Epistles, Suetonius,
Tacitus, Gibbon.

In order to assure a certain progress in this reading, consider what
hours you have free from the school and the exercises of the school.
Give about two of them every day to exercise; for health must not be
sacrificed to learning. A strong body makes the mind strong. As to
the species of exercise, I advise the gun. While this gives a moderate
exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to
the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too
violent for the body, and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun
therefore be the constant companion of your walks. Never think of taking
a book with you. The object of walking is to relax the mind. You should
therefore not permit yourself even to think while you walk; but divert
your attention by the objects surrounding you. Walking is the best
possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far. The Europeans
value themselves on having subdued the horse to the uses of man; but I
doubt whether we have not lost more than we have gained, by the use of
this animal. No one has occasioned so much the degeneracy of the human
body. An Indian goes on foot nearly as far in a day, for a long journey,
as an enfeebled white does on his horse; and he will tire the best
horses. There is no habit you will value so much as that of walking
far without fatigue. I would advise you to take your,exercise in the
afternoon: not because it is the best time for exercise, for certainly
it is not; but because it is the best time to spare from your studies;
and habit will soon reconcile it to health, and render it nearly as
useful as if you gave to that the more precious hours of the day. A
little walk of half an hour in the morning, when you first rise, is
advisable also. It shakes off sleep, and produces other good effects in
the animal economy. Rise at a fixed and an early hour, and go to bed at
a fixed and early hour also. Sitting up late at night is injurious to
the health, and not useful to the mind. Having ascribed proper hours to
exercise, divide what remain (I mean of your vacant hours) into three
portions. Give the principal to History, the other two, which should be
shorter, to Philosophy and Poetry. Write to me once every month or two,
and let me know the progress you make. Tell me in what manner you employ
every hour in