fluid from habit, when the vital economy does not need it, or perhaps would be injured by it. Break the habit, and this unnatural appetite, which is supposed to be true thirst, will be overcome. The appetite for drink can as well be depraved as the appetite for food; and in point of fact the depravity of thirst is almost universal. "When thirst, by whatever cause produced, is not the true instinctive demand of the vital economy for water, it is never so well satisfied with water as with some stimulating beverage; and when such beverages are used, the sense of thirst is still more depraved; and in exact proportion to the stimulating and intoxicating power of those beverages, and the freedom with which they are used, it becomes more and more exclusively a demand for accustomed stimulus, and correspondently, more frequent and more despotic. So long as the dietetic habits of mankind are greatly at variance with the physiological laws of the human system, therefore, nothing but necessity arising from the want of means, or the most powerful moral restraint, continually imposed and enforced, can keep the race from universal drunkenness and hence the melancholy fact that from the earliest history of the species until now, with the occasional exception of a limited and brief paroxysm of reform, the human world has staggered with inebriation; and, so long as the fixed constitutional laws of Nature shall remain, in spite of all the efforts that have been made or that can be made to choke man off from his intoxicating cup, the human world will continue to stagger on, unless the reformation goes beyond the cup, and removes the deep depravity of thirst."

No fluid should be taken with our meals, nor until digestion is completed. The times of drinking, if we drink at all, should as a general thing be regulated with as much precision as the times of eating; that is, they should be at the same hour every day, as nearly as possible.

"On the whole, then, in regard to the drink of man, it were best, and most truly natural, if his dietetic and other habits were such that the demand of his vital economy for water were fully answered by the aqueous juices of the fruits and vegetables which properly compose a portion of his food." But if he must have drink, let it be pure water, not warmer than the blood, not taken with the meal or too soon after eating, nor in large quantities. If you are thirsty, or if you cannot get fruit, take a glass of pure cold water-rain-water is decidedly the best of any that can be procured-some twenty or thirty minutes before eating, or three or four hours after. Have a regular hour for

drinking, and regulate the quantity according to the real demands of the system. Nothing but pure water should ever be drank. Never drink for pastime, or because the beverage has a pleasant taste, but solely to supply the legitimate wants of the system. Obtain a good filter, for the purpose of filtering rain-water, and you can always have water almost as good as distilled water. But if possible, make fruit supply the system with aqueous matter.

The above remarks are designed to apply to those in health. In certain conditions of disease, very copious drinking of pure water may be very salutary, and often necessary. Indeed, internal as well as external applications of cold water are employed with the greatest success as remedies in cases of disease, and promise soon to supersede all other remedies; but still it is best to remain in health, by obeying the organic laws, so as not to be obliged to use even the water-cure. "An ounce of preventive is worth a pound of cure," let the cure be ever so valuable. We will leave this application of water to the physician, as our purpose is only to speak of the laws which govern the system in a state of health. To cure disease, it is frequently necessary to take a certain course, which would not be salutary -at least not the best course to pursue-in health. However salutary copious drinking may be in certain diseases, it is certainly not necessary, nor best, in health. But in health, and with correct habits, there is little or no danger in this direction; and with improper habits,-especially dietetic habits,-copious drinking, at proper times, may mitigate the evil.

INTERESTING READINGS.

66

PUBLIC HOUSE CLUBS.-I don't like your Club, because it meets at a Public-House. The Landlord got it up, and the Landlord makes a capital thing out of it; it is a real "Benefit" Club to him. What does the first Rule of the "Blue Boar" Club say? "That this Society do meet at the Blue Boar on the first Saturday in every month; that every member do pay 1s. 3d. to the box, and 3d. to be spent for the good of the house." Now we all know what “ 3d. to be spent for the good of the house" means. It means 3d. for a pint of beer. You may say that you don't want beer, or that it does not agree with you, or that you can't afford to spend money on drink; never mind, 3d. is the rule, and 3d. you must pay, not for your own good, "but for good of the house." Now it is true, you can't expect to have a room to meet in, and a fire for nothing, but you may pay too high even for a good article. Look here; twelve threepences make 3s. Suppose you have 100 mem

bers, that is, 100 times 3s. or £15 a year. If you have 200 members,

it brings it to £30 a year. Rather a high rent, is it not, for the hire of a warm room, once a month, even when some bad beer is added to it? But this is not all. A good many men who come to drink the Club's three-penny-worth, stay to drink a few more three-penny-worths of their own. A fellow who would not otherwise have gone near the "Blue Boar" at all, goes just to pay his Club-money and drink his pint; but it's thirsty work waiting there for his name to be called, and his week's wages are in his breeches-pocket, and so You know the rest a

deal better than I do.

There are some other ingenious ways invented, for putting money into the Publican's pocket. As for instance, "Whenever a Steward attends for a member's sick-pay he shall be allowed a pint of beer for his trouble. And when any member or member's wife dies, the Clerk and Steward shall be allowed 2s. 6d. as spending money;" that is, as beer-money, in plain English. In fact, Beer may be said to be the very foundation on which the "Blue Boar " Club rests; it can't do a single thing without Beer, Beer, Beer.

Then there is your Feast-Day. There is no reason why you should not have a good dinner, (you don't get one too often, many of you, more's the pity!) but again I say, you may pay too dear for your whistle. You pay 2s. each out of your own pocket, and 1s. 6d. or 2s. more each out of the box. Then there is something for your pretty blue cockade, and something more for flags, and a nice round sum for the band, and no end for extra beer to this you must add two days' wages (for all the eating and drinking can't be got through in one day),——I leave you to calculate how much a Club of 200 members spends on its Feast. And the worst of it is, that the day never ends without a fearful amount of drunkenness ; I know that the respectable members confess that it is so, and regret it as much as I do.

I will not now go into the question of Women's Clubs. I will only say, that if I were a labouring man, I should not like to see my wife. making a goose of herself, by tramping about the Parish with a lot of other women and a band of music. If it is an evil for men to meet at the Public House, for women it is simply an abomination.-Penny Post Magazine.

HEALTH OF THE ARMY.-Captain Jervois, Commandant of the Military Convalescent Establishment at Yarmouth, has delivered a lecture at the United Service Institution on Recreation as a means of health for the army, shewing the deterioration, bodily and mental, brought on by want of sufficient occupation, and the benefits arising from rational means of recreation. He advocates the introduction of recreation-rooms in all barracks, hospitals and camps, with dominoes, draughts, chess, billiards, and other games, excepting cards, and in these rooms he would allow the men to smoke and have tea and coffee. At Hong-kong in 1851, and at Yarmouth in later years, he has found the most favourable results follow from offering to the men a resource which many were prepared to accept at once, and which many others preferred, after a little experience, to their usual dissipations. He would have recreation-marquees for troops

in camp at home, or abroad on active service; and argues that though the marquees would be an additional burden, there would be a counterbalancing diminution of hospital baggage. The Captain shews, moreover, that it is bad economy to aim at producing cheap soldiers, inasmuch as, like other cheap things, they soon become unserviceable.-Chambers' Journal.

Hope for the HOPELESS.-One of those wretched creatures, with whom to be drunk is the rule and sober the exception, knelt in a lonely place, and lifting up his shaking hand to heaven, said, “ God, if you're a God at all, send me to hell now, for I am tired of this miserable life." He waited a minute, and then drew a knife from his pocket and opened it, then holding it across his throat with one hand, he again raised his other hand, and in his impious raving cried, "Do you call yourself a God? If you can send me to hell, why dont you do it? If you won't send me, I'll send myself there!" and his clutch of the knife was tightened, and the blade pressed against his throat, when he heard an approachfootstep, and in tremulous haste closed the knife and put it in his pocket. Wandering on in his misery, seeking a place where, uninterrupted by man, he might consign himself to perdition which the tender mercy of God refused, he stumbled into a church, for it was a Sabbath night, and the Lord's prayer was being prayed. "Lead us not into temptation," fell upon his ear. Possessed with the gin-fiend, and insensible to the sacredness of the place, he stammered out in a loud voice, "Lead us Dot into temptation; I've been in temptation." That the congregation might not be disturbed, the drunkard was kindly takeu to George-yard Raggedschool, and the worthy master was asked to try if he could do anything with him. The half-madman was kept till he became sober, kindly treated, and told of the Saviour of sinners, who died that drunkards as well as other sinners might possess the kingdom of God. And the loving Father, whose compassions fail not, having refused to answer his blasphemous prayer for instant damnation, sealed the gospel on his heart, and made him a new creature in Christ Jesus; and now, clothed and in his right mind, he tells of the redeeming love which has made him a sober man and a rejoicing saint of the most high God.

KENT AND SUSSEX.-We learn with great pleasure, that the Rev. J. B. Smythe, (Agent of the Band of Hope Union,) has lectured during the past month with gratifying success at Hastings, St. Leonard's, Battle, Northiam, Tonbridge Wells, and Ashford. Some of these places have been visited several times, and each time the Lecturer has been well received, his audiences being always large, and as a result of his appeals, many have signed the pledge, including several clergymen.

HOUGHTON. The friends at Houghton have lately held a very successful fête. The meeting was addressed by several

well-known advocates, including the Rev. James Harcourt, the Rev. J. B. Smythe, and Mr. Whittaker.

WARWICKSHIRE.-Mr. G. Blaby has visited several places in this county during August; including Kenilworth, Cubbington, the fête held at Warwick Castle, Wolverhampton, Smethwick, and Birmingham. At the fête at Aston Park, at which Mr. Blaby addressed the meeting, there were no less than 17,000 persons. Great good has been the result of Mr. Blaby's tour; in every place he seems to be liked very much, and especially by the young folks. Indeed Mr. Blaby may be said to be the "children's friend."

DEVONSHIRE.-Mr. Q. Dalrymple, as a deputation from the Union, has been holding interesting meetings at Exeter, Torquay, Topsham, and Salterton. These meetings were some of them of Sunday School teachers, others of children. Much information has been given upon the subject, by Mr. Dalrymple, and the work is going on in the places visited, with increased

success.

KENILWORTH.-The annual summer excursion came off under circumstances of a peculiarly favourable character. Admission to the beautiful grounds of Warwick Castle, having been generously granted by the noble Earl, a party of fully 400 gladly availed themselves of the opportunity of visiting so charming and delightful a spot. Headed by a brass band, a procession formed in Kenilworth at one o'clock, and proceeded for about half a mile along the road, to where waggons were drawn up waiting for the conveyance of the holiday-makers. Arrived in Warwick, the musicians again took the lead, and under the guidance of Mr. Spink, the gardener, proceeded up the rocky avenue, and then onwards to the noble piece of open space, with the house containing the Pompeian vase in the rear, the Avon in the foreground, and the noble cedars of Lebanon on the left. Till half-past six in the evening amusements of various kinds, 0 such as foot-ball, cricket, foot-racing, amongst the members, and other matters occupied the attention. Refreshments were supplied on the ground, and a portion of the company also temporarily left to obtain tea at the various places where such accommodation could be had in the town. At various periods during the afternoon, the band struck up a few merry airs; and the juveniles also sang several of their most popular temperance ›› melodies. Able assistance was given during the day by Mr. G. Blaby, from London, who has rendered acceptable service to the societies in and near Kenilworth,