the afflicted relatives watching round a sick
bed await with painful anxiety the awaking
of their patient. In a state of health, sleep
not only contributes to the prolongation of
life, but enhances the conscious pleasure even
of our existence; indeed, it frequently happens,
after a refreshing night's rest, that the mind
experiences a high degree of unwonted
buoyancy, particularly after pleasant dreams,
although the details of them may not be
remembered—a circumstance which Shakespeare
has admirably described, where Romeo
says, in a tone of exultation,

"If I may trust the flattering eye of sleep,
My dreams portend some joyful news at hand;
My bosom's lord sits lightly on his throne,
And all this day an unaccustom'd spirit
Lifts me above the ground with cheerful
thoughts."

In order, however, that we may enjoy these
advantages it behoves us to consider in what
manner sleep should be disciplined, for when
we consider " how use doth breed a habit in
a man," it is obvious that even this " wide
blessing " may be strangely abused. We may,
therefore, fairly ask what is the quantity of
sleep which a reasonable man should be
contented with?

This is somewhat a difficult question. Tall
and bulky people require more sleep than
short and thin people; men than women;
and all animals sleep longer in winter than in
summer. Age, constitution, climate, occupation,
and a variety of incidental causes must
be taken into consideration. During the first
three months of life nutrition and sleep constitute
the whole sum of existence; the infant
awakes when hungry to take nourishment,
when satisfied it falls asleep again. As the
development of the nervous system, in
particular, goes on at this period, with
remarkable rapidity, the more it sleeps the better.
In extreme old age much sleep is also required.
The famous Dr. Thomas Parr, who
died at the extraordinary age of one hundred
and fifty-two years and nine months, latterly
slept away the greater part of his existence.
We knew an old lady, one hundred and five
years of age, in Essex, who slept nearly twenty
out of the twenty-four hours. Youth and
young adults sleep, habitually, very soundly:
and it is during this period of life that lazy
and sluggish habits are easily engendered.
The faculty of remaining asleep longer than
is necessary cannot be indulged in without
impairing the strength both of the body and
mind. The continued depression of the nervous
system and excessive transpiration occasion
physical debility, while the intellectual faculties,
from constantly slumbering in a state of
inactivity, become gradually enfeebled.
Valengin relates the case of a young man, who,
in consequence of too much sleep, became
lethargic, and died at the age of twenty-three
years. Boerhaave gives an account of a
physician, who, from excessive sleep, became
mentally imbecile, and perished, miserably,
in a hospital. The somnolency of the fat boy
in Pickwick is, by no means, an exaggeration.
Persons have existed who have almost dozed
away their entire existence. One Elizabeth
Oven, Dr.Macnish says, spent, three- fourths of
her life in sleep. Another woman, Elizabeth
Perkins, would sleep for ten or eleven days at a
time, and then spontaneously awake, and go
about as usual. The " Sleeping Lady of
Nismes " (as she was called) had attacks
of somnolency which lasted sometimes for
days—and even months. Her sleep was
remarkable. During the brief interval of her
wakefulness she hurriedly swallowed small
quantities of broth, which was kept ready
prepared for her. When the somnolency had
continued for six months, it left her suddenly
for six months, and then attacked her again,
leaving another interval of six months. At
length the affection gradually disappeared
altogether, and she lived to the age of eighty-
one, and eventually died of dropsy. Sleep,
therefore—too prolonged sleep—may become
a disease; nay more, persons, from habit, may
bring themselves to sleep when they will and
wake when they will. Quin, the celebrated
comedian; Napoleon; the philosopher Reid;
and Captain Barclay, the great pedestrian, are
said to have commanded this faculty.

On the other hand, some persons have lived
in a state of constant wakefulness, and
scarcely slept at all; we frequently, indeed,
meet with individuals of an active, nervous
temperament, who habitually require very
little sleep. The celebrated General Elliot
never slept more than four hours of the
twenty-four; his food consisting wholly of
bread, water, and vegetables. Frederick the
Great of Prussia, and the eminent John
Hunter, never slept more than five hours
during the same period. Dr. Gooch gives an
instance of a man who slept for only fifteen
minutes out of the twenty-four hours. Sir
Gilbert Blanc states, that General Pichegru
informed him that, in the course of his active
campaigns, he had, for a whole year, not slept
more than one out of every twenty-four
hours. There can be no doubt that mental
activity, accompanied by anxiety, will keep
up an excitement of the brain which will
produce a state of constant watchfulness.
Boerhaave says, that after his mind, on one
occasion, had been greatly over-worked, he
could not sleep for six weeks; and it is well
known that sleeplessness is one of the most
ordinary symptoms of insanity. In a state
of health the amount of sleep required to
restore the nervous energy averages, we
conceive, from six to eight hours. Jeremy
Taylor insisted that three hours sleep was
sufficient; Baxter, four; and Wesley recommends
the standard to be limited to six out
of the twenty-four hours. We believe that
six hours is, with many, sufficient; it is so
with the Duke of Wellington, and few statesmen,
engaged in active business, allow themselves