_ of puddings, pies, and cake will answer? What kind of meats?
What food shall I be obliged to avoid to keep my passions in check? What
am I to eat this winter--next spring--next summer? How much at a time?
Can I eat tripe--corned beef--oysters--lean pork steak? What kinds of
meat and fish will do for me to eat? Any salt fish? Is milk bad in case
of liver disease? Is there any objection to baked sour apples and milk,
or to sour apples after using a little milk or bread? Will you allow me
to eat any simple thing between meals?"

And in this same letter, after six months' instruction, as aforesaid, he
undertakes to tell me what his habits of living are, which, despite of
all said and done, in the way of personal counsel and nearly twenty
letters, strangely reads thus:--

"I use some milk three times a day, and almost always soak my toasted
bread in milk. Since I have been out in the open air, I have usually had
some wild game, or a piece of beef steak, or raw eggs, twice a day. My
suppers, lately, have been toasted bread, of any convenient kind
(usually Graham), with milk, about a tumbler full, at a time, or
three-fourths full. I usually eat two apples, with or after each
breakfast and dinner. I use considerable cream soaked into my bread,
when I can obtain it, and some molasses. Now, which is the best for me
to use on my bread, at supper time--cream, milk, molasses, or a little
butter?--or with my other meals? Is there any objection to my using all
these now, in proper quantities? Will a little plain sauce do with my
supper? Why do you so strongly object to cream toasts, or cream on
bread? Is chewing gum from spruce trees injurious?--or birch bark? Any
objections to eating two sour apples after breakfast and dinner?"

Now the great difficulty with this young man was, that he had but little
faith, either in me or in principles--though if I would direct him, from
step to step, like a child, he would obey me, for the moment: though,
like a child, too, he would forget my directions at almost the next
moment, and ask for information on the very same point.

Was not such a trial almost too great? However, he was destined to
survive it, to live on in spite of it, notwithstanding my after fears.
In March, 18--, he wrote me as follows:--

"As I have been getting better all the while, and have troubled you with
so many little queries from time to time, I thought I would delay this
letter a while. My health has been constantly