LITERARY WORK AND TOBACCO.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2967, 28 September 1882, Page 2

LITERARY WORK AND TOBACCO.

In response to a circular recently sent out by Mr Arthur Reade, who has been collecting information as to the habits of literary men in regard to stimulants, the Abbe Moigno gives an interesting and characteristic record of bis experiences. The letter appearing in his paper, “ Les Mondes,” states that he has published -150 volumes, small and great; that he scarcely ever leaves his work tableland never takes walking exercise; yet he never has a trace of headache, or brain weariness, or constipation. or any form of urinary trouble, &o. He never has recourse for his work to stimulants, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, &c., a statement which the sequel shows to need qualification. Snuff-taking he has sometimes practised, but he vigorously condemns it. He has learnt twelve foreign languages hy a method of his own, and ,as to his acquirements in philology and chronology, ho says : “ I was one of the most extraordinary personalities of my time, and Franyois Arago sometimes laughingly threatened to have me burnt as a sorcerer.” On one occasion, when in Munich for for a few weeks, and spending his evenings with Bavarian savants, who each smoked four or five cigars and drank two or three pots of beer daily (Steinbeil, the most illustrious, boasted of smoking 6000 cigars a year), the Abbe came to smoke three or fouje. cigars a day. He had also anew taken to snuff, so that when preparing hia calculus of variations, a very difficult mathematical work, he would empty his snuffbox (which held 25 grammes) in one day. But one day he was surprised to find himself painfully' unable to recall the meaning of foreign words, and remember dates with, which, he had been familiar. Thereupon he formed a heroic resolution, and since August 31st, 1863, when he smoked three cigars and., took twenty-five centimes worth of snuff,' he has, 1 up tb" the 25th of June, 1882, touched neither. This was, for him, a complete, ’ resurrection, not only of. memory, but of general health and well being ; be has an indefinite capacity of work, uncon- : scious digestion, perfect assimilation of food (of which he can take more), &o. For the rest; he mentions dhat he takes a small cup of black coffee.in. the morn-/ ing, and when all but ctwo or three spoonfuls has beeu drunk, he adds at small spoonful of brandy or other alcoholic liquor; This is his ration of stimulants. He goes to bed about nine, and rises at five, '“full of : vigor.” The Abbe is over eighty. • . .