them." I warned him that in course of time his rheumatism
would be longer in duration and attack him more frequently, if he
continued to ignore its warnings and to play with what, for him, was
certainly poison. When anyone has a habit, be it injurious or
otherwise, it is not easy to persuade him to abandon it.

"The Aristocracy of Health" written by the talented Mrs. Henderson is
an admirable work. I owe much to it. The facts and arguments adduced
against tobacco smoking, strong drink and poisonous foods, are set
forth in such a clear and convincing manner, that soon after reading it
I became a teetotaler and "sanitarian"[1] and began at once to reap the
benefits. I felt that I ought not to keep such a good thing to myself,
but that I should preach the doctrine far and wide. I soon found,
however, that it was an impossible task to try to save men from
themselves, and I acquired the unenviable sobriquet of "crank"; but I
was not dismayed. From my native friends I turned to the foreign
community in Peking, thinking that the latter would possess better
judgment, appreciate and be converted to the sanitarian doctrine.
Among the foreigners I appealed to, one was a distinguished diplomat,
and the other a gentleman in the Chinese service, with a world-wide
reputation. Both were elderly and in delicate health, and it was my
earnest hope that by reading Mrs. Henderson's book, which was sent to
them, they would be convinced of their errors and turn over a new
leaf--I was disappointed. Both, in returning the book, made
substantially the same answer. "Mrs. Henderson's work is very
interesting, but at my time of life it is not advisable to change
life-long habits. I eat flesh moderately, and never drink much wine."
They both seemed to overlook the crucial problem as to whether or not
animal food contains hurtful poison. If it does, it should not be
eaten at all. We never hear of sensible people taking arsenic,
strychnine, or other poisons, in moderation, but many foolish women, I
believe, take arsenic to pale their complexions, while others, both men
and women, take strychnine in combination with other drugs, as a tonic,
but will anyone argue that these substances are foods? The rule of
moderation is applicable to things which are nutritious, or at least
harmless, but not to noxious foods, however small the quantity of
poison they may contain.

Pleasant conversation at the dinner table is always enjoyable, and a
goo