d at his hands
for the express purpose of publication:

"My business, until I was twenty years of age, was farming. Since that
time, it has been mechanical, and for the most part sedentary. From my
youth, I ate animal food of all kinds, prepared in the usual manner.
Twice a day I partook, more or less freely, of such vegetables as are in
general use. Fruits, as they came in their season, I ate whenever and
wherever I could lay hands on them, more especially apples; these last
at almost all hours of the day, and almost without number. I was also in
the habit of eating a luncheon at nine or ten o'clock in the morning,
and just before going to bed.

"My drinks, till 1830, were principally tea, coffee, cider, and beer;
but sometimes I used rum, brandy, molasses and water, milk and water,
etc. For twelve years previous to 1837, I used tobacco. From my youth, I
have had a fondness for reading and study--have spent many hours in
reading after the whole village were asleep.

"My health I considered good, compared with that of my acquaintances,
and I was able to labor hard, although I was subject to dizziness and
vomiting with such intensity that I could not walk or stand without
assistance; and for a number of days, the complaint seemed to bid
defiance to all medical aid. Here began the day of retribution, and
bitterly have I suffered for my intemperance, both in eating and
drinking. At length, my dizziness in some measure wore away, so that I
returned to my work; but my system had received a shock that was not to
be got rid of at once. And although my dizziness and inclination to
vomit were in some measure removed, yet I grew weaker by degrees, so
that by spring I was unable to perform my daily labor.

"I continued to decline until summer, when I was attacked with a violent
cough--from what cause I did not know. Some said it was the
hooping-cough, some said it was _la grippe_. Suffice it to say, I took
all the medicines prescribed by our family physician, followed all his
good advice, and took all to no purpose. I was also persuaded to try the
prescription of a celebrated physician in a neighboring town; but, alas!
his prescription was tried in vain.

"My cough and dizziness not having left me, I tried a respectable
physician of Boston, who, with an honesty of heart that does credit to
his profession, bid me buy a ninepence worth of liquorice, keep my mouth
and throat moist by chewing a little of that, and let my cough ha