on horseback; and an improved appetite, and greater willingness to undertake the ordinary duties of the day, bear witness to the beneficial effects of the practice. By following up the custom regularly, you certainly avoid much of that dreadful lassitude and sense of weariness which oppresses those of your less resolute English neighbours, who pass in their beds those delightful hours which they ought to spend in the bracing morning air. Were early out-of-door exercise more practised than it is, we should see but few wasting upon couches the best portion of their lives, in listless inactivity; and giving way to that infectious indolence, which, as the parent of one half of our diseases, cannot be too resolutely resisted, and which grows so imperceptibly by indulgence. May we not learn, from the page of history, to trace the misery and slavery, which has been entailed on India, to the careless, sensual, and effeminate habits of its original possessors? Aurungzebe, indeed, when he invaded it, at once understood the character of the aborigines; and by constant watchfulness guarded his followers, during a period of thirty years, from the fatal though seductive influence of climate and example; but his successors soon fell an easy prey to indolence and luxury; their splendour and power passed away from them; and these Mohammedan conquerors sank, if possible, lower in the scale of humanity than even their Hindoo subjects.

It has been thought that the approach of death is contemplated with less terror by the natives of India

than by those of any other country in the world.This may possibly arise from the Hindoo belief, that a state of perfect tranquillity is the summit of happiness ; and that to deaden the ever-active principle of life within us-that living principle which animated the dust of the earth when God breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul-must be the great desire of all. "It is better to sleep than to be active," say they; "but death is the best state of all; for then the daily care of the body ceases to trouble us, and the future shall be to us an endless sleep; a vacuum where no sound disturbs." This theory would seem, in India, to be practically followed up by the rich, who may in truth be said to sleep away a third part of their short lives; and who resort to a thousand plans in order to bring about this desirable end. As I have already observed, they chew opium; and the juice of an intoxicating substance prepared from a species of hemp, and called beng, or bhang, is in common use among them.-Cherris, another vegetable narcotic of this class, esteemed as "the leaf of delusion," is taken as we would take wine, for the pleasurable feelings it excites, though often producing insanity. Their rooms are darkened, and the softest and most luxurious couches and rugs are distributed about the apartment, as if to court sleep. With the poor, however, who fortunately have to labour for their daily food, it is otherwise. They are all early risers, and at peep of day you may see swarms of them collected around the large public

tanks, taking their shower-baths, by dexterously swinging a vessel of water over their heads, and refreshing themselves in a variety of ways peculiar to the East. Numbers of poor persons also frequent these tanks at this hour, to wash their linen; remaining, till their garments are dried and fit to put on again, up to their necks in the water. Evening again brings crowds around these water-cisterns, to fill their chattees for domestic purposes. In some of these respects the natives set us a good example. I myself know, by experience, how great an effort it is to rise. early in India; and many a battle have I had, to conquer self, and get up and sally forth, when aroused at gunfire. Often, during the night, the heat is so great, even in the best planned bungalows, that to sleep is impossible; the drowsy god refuses to visit your couch, and morning dawns ere your eyelids close. Nevertheless, the man, who in India is anxious to preserve his health, must be an early riser. He must also, as he will quickly learn, avoid the vile habit of drinking bitter beer at all hours-a practice no more necessary in India than England, yet very fashionable in Indian society. The strictest temperance, with great simplicity of diet, is here necessary. Spirituous liquors of course must be avoided; and if, in seasons of langour and depression, wine must be taken, let it be the best that can be procured, and not the light, sour stuff, which, imported in immense quantities, is swallowed wholesale, because it is thought to be harmless. Let the European also avoid all unnecessary

exposure to the sun; for though he may be able to bear its heat with but little inconvenience, such exposure, particularly to the newly arrived, is injurious in the extreme. Even the natives acknowledge its danger, and guard against it by every means in their power. The poorest native will not venture out in the daytime, without his chittree over his head, although the head is already well protected by the ample folds of the white turban, which cannot absorb many of the sun's rays, and within which, as an extra security, many persons put large green leaves, which they gather fresh for the purpose every morning, and which must be cool and grateful to their shaven craniums. Those of our countrymen who are liable to attacks of dysentery, or to complaints of the liver, are always recommended to wear, during the rainy season, a flannel roller, to protect that important and often-deranged organ; and flannel vests are considered necessary all the year through. These few hints may perhaps not prove unacceptable to some of my readers whose lot may one day be cast in India.-None of us can tell what a year, nay, what a day may bring forth; our life is made up of strange adventures, and we know not what may be on the morrow.

The first object to which your desires point upon getting up of a morning, are a cup of tea or coffee and a bath. The latter is certainly the greatest of luxuries, if you can, by any natural or artificial means, cool the water sufficiently to produce a reviving shock. Many persons, I am aware, condemn the

very cold bath, and prefer the tepid; in fact, the cold bath, during my stay in Bombay, fell into disrepute in consequence of two or three deaths, which occurred during its actual use. I believe, however, that the deaths of the supposed victims of these baths were occasioned by their imprudently plunging into very cold water when overheated by exercise. By eight o'clock the sun has risen too high, and become too oppressive, to allow any European to remain longer out of doors. All at home, too, by this time, are ready for breakfast; and if your Molly is a clever gardener, the table is not only graced by sweet flowers, but by delicious fruits; both of which must always be acceptable. Your sitting-rooms have undergone a change; every door and window is darkened by the wet cuscus mats (tatties) which, during your absence, have been suspended in front of them. The large flounced centre punkah floats monotonously from the ceiling; and your many servants begin already to look drowsy and stupid, and are anxious to get out of sight, and to take their accustomed nap as soon as possible in some quiet corner of your bungalow. If you are

fond of keeping dogs, your sycee, or groom, will sometimes condescend to look after them in kennel; the chokra, or message-boy, having to take them out every morning, all fastened together, for a walk. You meet dozens of these boys on the sea-shore, each with their string of dogs; some running races with them, or teaching them tricks; but others

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