the
fingers of the skillful worker; "trains of thought" pass and repass
through our minds, following, as we mechanically express it, the Laws
of Association. Only in losing consciousness, do we cease to destroy the
brain cells; it is only in sleep that the brain can rest.

But it must be remembered that the matter which is thus destroyed, is,
as Maudsley[3] so finely shows, the very finest result of the creative
life-process, the most precious essence. It is like the oil of roses, to
produce one drop of which, unnumbered roses must be crushed. The force
required to produce a nerve cell is said to be immeasurably greater than
that demanded for a cell of muscle, of bone, or of cartilage. In the
nerve cells, lies not only the directive force of the whole complicated
machinery, but the material with which the creative intelligence must
work. Let us also remember that our waking hours far outnumber those
spent in sleep, and we shall begin to realize the immense importance of
sleep, even to the fully developed organism. But when we add to the mere
labor of repairing the daily waste, the task of construction, which has
to be performed during the years of growth, we shall only deepen the
impression. I believe that every school-girl under eighteen years of
age, and many over that age, should have at least nine hours of
uninterrupted sleep in pure air, and the younger ones need even more.

Much, at least doubtful, advice, has been given on the subject of early
rising. That the system which has, perhaps, taken no food since six in
the evening, should be ready for any amount of labor in the morning
before breakfast, does not seem a rational conclusion, and I believe
that many nervous diseases must be charged to the idea, that there is
virtue in early rising, this implying, generally, either work before
breakfast, or, at best, a shortening of the hours of sleep. It should,
however, be remembered that in some cases, the greater amount of
sun-light obtained by rising with the sun, may, and probably does,
compensate for lack of other food. But when early rising means, as it
often does, rising long before the day begins, this cannot be said, and
sooner or later, the over demand upon the system will make itself felt
when it is too late to remedy the evil.

The habit of _regular_ sleep is also one which should be formed by
education. The child who is accustomed to go to bed at a regular hour,
will also generally form the habit of falli