having it so cool as not to melt the butter.
We seldom eat a meal without some kind of dried or preserved fruit, such
as peaches, plums, quinces, or apples; and in the season, when easily to
be procured, we use, freely, baked apples, also berries, particularly
blackberries stewed, which, while cooking, are sweetened and thickened a
little. Our dinners are nearly the same as our other meals, except that
we use cold milk, without any water. We have puddings sometimes made of
stale bread, at others of Graham or other flour, or rice, or ground
rice, usually baked; we have also hasty puddings, made of Indian meal,
or Graham flour, which we eat with milk or melted sugar and cream;
occasionally we have other simple puddings, such as tapioca, etc.
Custards, with or without a crust, pies made of apple, and other fruits
either green or preserved; but we have no more shortening in the crust
than just to make it a little tender.

I have two sons; one lived with us about fifteen months after we adapted
this mode of living; it agreed remarkably well with him; he grew strong
and fleshy. He married since that time, and, in some measure, returned
to the usual manner of living; but he is satisfied it does not agree so
well with him as the Graham diet. The coarse bread he cannot well do
without. My other son was absent when we commenced this way of living;
he has been at home about six weeks, and has not eaten any animal food
except when he dined out. He has evidently _lost_ flesh, and is not very
well; _he_ thinks he shall not be able to live without animal food, but
I think his indisposition is more owing to the season of the year than
diet. He never drank any tea or coffee until about four years since,
when he took some coffee for a while, but no tea. For the last two years
he has not drank either, when he could get milk. He is generally
healthy, and so is his brother: both were literally brought up on
gingerbread and milk, never taking animal food of choice, until they
were fifteen or sixteen years of age.

Dr. Keep, of Fairhaven, Connecticut, was here about a year since, in
very bad health, since which I learn he has recovered by abstaining from
animal food and other injurious diet. As he is a scientific man, I think
he can give thee some useful information.

1. The strength of both myself and wife has very materially increased,
so that we can now walk ten miles as easily as we could five before;
possibly it may in part be attribut