A GREAT POET'S WAY OF LIVING.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 90, 21 June 1879, Page 3

A GREAT POET'S WAY OF LIVING.

The following characteristic letter, written by the late William Culleu Bryant to a gentlemen associated with him for many years, will bo read with great, interest, as showing his manner of life ; "New York, March ISO 1871. "To Joseph 11. KichanN, Esq.—My Dear Sir —1 promised sometime since to [give you some account of my habits of Bile, so far at least, as regards diet, excrtciso, and occupation. I am not sure that fit will be of any use to you, although the [system which I have reached a pretty period of life without the usual Hntirmities of old age, and with my Strength, activity, and bodily faculties Ibid generally in pretty good preservation. Blow far this may be the effect of my way of life, adopted long ago and ■teadily adhered to, is, perhaps, uncerW-" I rise early, at this time of the year ■bout half-past five ; in summer, half an hour, earlier. Immediately, with very little incumbrance of clothing, I begin a series of exercises, for the most part i'designed to expand the chest, and at the same time call into action all the musjcles and articulations of the l«>dy. These lure performed with dumb-bells the very [lightest, covered with flannel, with a pole, ■ horizontal bar, and a light chair swung [around my head. After a full hour, and sometimes more, passed in this manner I bathe fiom head to foot. When at By place iu the country I sometimes [shorten my exercise in the chamber, and, going out, occupy myself for half an (Lour or more in some work which requires 1 biisk exercise. After my bath, if breakfast is not ready, I sit down to my studies till I am called. My breakfast is a simple one, hominy and milk, or iu place of hominy brown bread or oatmeal, or wheaten grits, and in the season baked sweet apples. Jluckweat cakes I do not decline, nor any other article of vegetable food, but animal food I never tako at breakfast. Tea and coffee I never touch at any time. Sometimes I tako a cup of chocolate, which has no narcotic effect, and agrees with me very well. At breakfast I often take fruit either in its natural statu or freshly

* tewed. After breakfast I occupy myself for a while with my Studies, and then When in town I walk down to the otlice of the Eveniug Post, nearly three miles distant, and after about three hours return, always walking, whatever be the Weather or the state of the streets. In the country I aflWhgaged in my literary tasks, till a feelingof weariness drives me but into tho open air, and I go ujion my farm or into the garden, and prune the fruit trees, or perform such Oliver woifc About them which they need, and then go back to my books. Ido not often drive out, preferring to wulk. " In the country I dine early, and it is only at that meal that I take either meat or fish, and of these but n moderate quantity, making my dj'nimr mostly of vegetables. At the meal which is called tea, I take only a little bread and butter, With fruit, if it bo on the table. In bown whei-e I dine ratlM", I nrake bVit two meals n day*. Fruit makes a considerable jiart of my diet-, and I eat it nt almost any hour of the day with inconvenience. My Vlrink is fratcr, yet I sometimes, though rarely, take a glass of wiue I am n natural temperance man, finding myself rather confused than exhilarated by win*. I never meddle with tobacco, exsept to quarrel with its use. That I may rise early, I. of course, go to bed early; in town as early as ten in the country somewhat earlier. For many years I have avoided in the evening every kind of literary occupation which tasks the faculties, as composition, even to the writing of letters for tlie reason that it excites the nervous system, and prevents sound sleep. " My brother told me not long ago he bad seen in a.Chicago newspaper, and several other Western journals, a paragraph in which it was said that 1 am in the habit of taking quinine as a stimulant ; that I have depended on the excitement it produces in writing my verses, and that in consequence of using it in that way, I had become as deaf as ft post. As to my deafness, you know that to be false; and the rest of the story is equally so. I abominate all drugs and narcotics, and have always carefully avoided every thing which spurs nature to exertions which it would not otherwise make. Even with my food Ido not take the usual condiments, such as pepper and the like, •• J am, sir, trulv yours, \V. C. Bnv.vxT."