igent father or mother of a family,
whose diet, clothing, exercise, &c. are thus comparatively well
regulated, would derive no benefit from the perusal of works which treat
candidly, rationally, and dispassionately, on these points? Is there a
mother in the community who is so destitute of reason and common sense
as not to desire the light of a broader experience in regard to the
tendency of things than she has had, or possibly can have, in her own
family? Is there one who will not be aided by understanding not only
that a certain thing or course is better than another, but also WHY it
is so?

It is by no means the object of this little work to set people to
watching their stomachs from meal to meal, in regard to the effects of
food, drink, &c.; for nothing in the world is better calculated to make
dyspeptics than this. It is true, indeed, that some things may be
obviously and greatly injurious, taken only once; and when they are so,
they should be avoided. But in general, it is the effect of a habitual
use of certain things for a long time together--and the longer the
experiment the better--which we are to observe.

A book to guide mothers in the formation of early good habits in their
offspring, should be the result of long observation and much experiment
on these points, but more especially of a thorough understanding of
human physiology. It should not consist so much of the conceits of a
single brain--perhaps half turned--as of the logical deductions of
severe science, and facts gleaned from the world's history.

Here is a nation, or tribe of men, bringing up children to certain
habits, from generation to generation--and such and such is their
character. Here, again, is another large portion of our race, who, under
similar circumstances of climate, &c. &c., have, for several hundred
years, educated their children very differently, and with different
results. A comparison of things on a large scale, together with a close
attention to the constitution and relations of the human system, affords
ground for drawing conclusions which are or may be useful. If this book
shall not afford light derived from such sources, it were far better
that it had never been written. If it only sets people to watching over
the effects of things taken or used only for a single day, instead of
leading them from early infancy to form in their children such habits as
will preclude, in a great measure, the necessity of watching ourselves
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