maintained for that purpose at the public expense. In these places, such young people were under the direction of different masters, who employed the most effectual methods to inure their bodies for the fatigues of the public games, and to form them for the combats. The regimen they were under was very hard and severe. At first, they had no other nourishment but dried figs, nuts, soft cheese, and a gross heavy sort of bread called 'μaga.' They were absolutely forbidden to use wine; and required to observe the strictest continence." * 66 "In later times,—after animal food had begun to be common among the people, and flesh-meat was found to be more stimulating and to render their pugilists and gladiators more ferocious,-a portion of flesh was introduced into the diet of the Athlete. But, according to the testimony of early Greek writers, it was soon found, that the free use of this kind of aliment made them the most sluggish and stupid of men.”†

260. "It is said, that after the Romans became a flesh-eating people, the Roman army was equally heroic and victorious: but it should be remembered, that whatever were the practices of the wealthy and luxurious Roman citizen, flesh-meat entered but very sparingly into the diet of the Roman soldier, till after the days of Roman valour had begun to pass away; and, with equal pace, as the army became less simple and less temperate in their diet, they became less brave and less successful in arms. It should be remembered, also, that after the Romans had become a flesh-eating people, the success

ROLLIN'S ANCIENT HISTORY. Vol. I. ATHLETE. Introduction.

of the Roman army did not, as at first, depend on the bodily strength and personal prowess of individual sol· diers; but on the aggregate power of well disciplined legions, and on their skill in systematic war. So far as bodily strength and ability to endure voluntary action are considered, the Roman soldier was far the most powerful. and heroic in Rome's earliest days, when he subsisted on his simple vegetable food."*

261. The same important principles are demonstrated by the facts of modern times. "Very few nations in the world", says a sagacious historian, "produce better soldiers than the Russians. They will endure the greatest fatigues and sufferings with patience and calmness"; and it is well known, that the Russian soldiers are (from childhood) nourished by simple and coarse vegetable food. "The Russian grenadiers", says a letter from the Helder, are the finest body of men I ever saw: not a man is under six feet high. Their allowance consists of eight pounds of black bread, four pounds of oil, and one pound of salt, per man, for eight days; and, were you to see them, you would be convinced, that they look as well as if they lived on roast beef and English porter.” ↑

66

262. "The Russian peasant", observes Bremner, in his "Excursions in the Interior of Russia", "is satisfied with the plainest food. No people in Europe are so coarsely fed. Their diet consists of the most acrid articles that were ever devised :-pickled cucumbers, pickled cabbages, or pickled mushrooms, with a piece of black bread, are

*GRAHAM'S LECTURES. Vol. II. P. 188.

The "SUN" NEWSPAPER for September 25, 1799.

their daily fare." Again he says largest towns, butcher's-meat would

"Unless in the very

appear to be very little

used. Even in such places as Toula and Zaraisk, a butcher's shop is never seen; a calf with the skin half off, is sometimes displayed at a butcher's door; but the sight does not occur above once in two hundred miles. Fish is even more rare than beef; being always sold alive from the river none is ever exposed in the market-places. Vegetables and milk compose a great part of the diet, in the districts we have now reached."

263. "I have made several voyages to St. Petersburgh, in Russia", says Capt. Cornelius S. Howland, of New Bedford, Mass. "The people of Russia generally subsist (for the most part) on coarse, black rye-bread and garlicks. The bread is exceedingly coarse,—sometimes containing almost whole grains; and it is very hard and dry. I have often hired men to labour for me in Russia; which they would do from sixteen to eighteen hours and 'find themselves', for eight cents per day (the sun shining there sometimes twenty hours in the day). They would come on board in the morning, with a piece of their black bread weighing about one pound, and a bunch of garlicks as big as one's fist. This was all their nourishment for the day of sixteen or eighteen hours labour. They were astonishingly powerful and active; and endured severe and protracted labour far beyond any of my men. Some of these men were eighty and even ninety years old; and yet these old men would do more work than any of the middle aged men belonging to my ship. In handling and stowing away iron, and in stowing away hemp with the jack-screw,

they exhibited most astonishing power. They were full of agility, vivacity, and even hilarity;-singing as they laboured, with all the buoyancy and blithsomeness of youth."

264. The general food of the Norwegians, is rye-bread, milk, and cheese. Mr. Twining says:-"As a particular luxury, the peasants eat their sharke; which are thin slices of meat, sprinkled with salt, and dried in the wind like hung-beef: but this indulgence in animal food is very rare indeed. A common treat, on high days and holy days, consists of a thick hasty pudding, or porridge of oatmeal or rye-meal; seasoned by two or three pickled herrings, or salted mackerel. All the travellers I have consulted, agree in representing the people as thriving on this apparently poor fare; and in no part of the world, in proportion to its population, are there more instances of extreme longevity than in Norway." "Notwithstanding the poor fare of the inhabitants", says Dr. Capell Brooke, they are remarkably robust and healthy. Though in many parts animal food is quite unknown to them, they are generally tall and good looking, with a manly openness of manner and countenance, which increased the further North I proceeded From this hardy way of living, and being daily accustomed to climb the mountains, they may be said to be in a constant state of training; and their activity (in consequence) is so great, that they keep up with ease by the side of your carriage at full speed, for the distance of ten or twelve miles."

265. "The Polish and Hungarian peasants from the Carpathian Mountains", says a young Polish nobleman,

66

are among the most active and powerful men in the world: they live almost entirely on oatmeal bread and potatoes. The Polish soldiers under Buonaparte", continues he, "would march forty miles in a day, and fight a pitched battle; and the next morning be fresh and vigorous for further duties." The peasants of some parts of Switzerland, who hardly ever taste anything but bread, cheese, and butter, are vigorous people. "The Bernese", observes M, Raspail, "so active and so strongly formed, live scarcely on anything but maize and fresh water." Those who have penetrated into Spain, have probably witnessed to what a distance a Spanish attendant will accompany on foot a traveller's mule or carriage; not less than forty or fifty miles a-day;-raw onions and bread being his only fare.

266. "With respect to the Moorish porters in Spain". says Capt. C. F. Chase, of Providence, R. I., "I have witnessed the exceedingly large loads they are in the habit of carrying; and have been struck with astonishment at their muscular powers. Others of the labouring class, particularly those who are in the habit of working on board of ships, and called in that country 'stevedores', are also very powerful men. I have seen two of these men stow off a full cargo of brandy and wine in casks (after it was hoisted on board and lowered into the hold) apparently with as much ease, as two American sailors would stow away a cargo of beef and pork. They brought their food on board with them; which consisted of coarse, brown, wheat-bread and grapes."

267. "The Greek boat-men", says the venerable Judge