great Eater, and I find my appetite sooner satisfied now
than formerly;--there is one peculiarity in my Diet which as
it may perhaps have contributed to Health I would mention; I
am fond of Fruit, and have this 30 or more years daily
indulged in eating freely of those of the Season, as
Strawberries, Currants, Peaches, Plums, Apples, &c., which
in summer and winter I eat just before Dinner, and seldom at
any other time, and indeed very seldom eat any thing
whatever between meals.--My Breakfast I vary continually.
Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, with toasted bread and butter, Milk
with Bread toasted in hot weather, but never any meat in my
Life--seldom the same Breakfast more than 2 or 3 days
running. Bread of Flour makes a large portion of my Food,
perhaps near 1-2. After Dinner I most commonly drink one
glass of Wine--plain boiled rice I am fond of--it makes
nearly 1-2 of my Dinner perhaps as often as every other
Day--I rarely eat Pickles or any high seasoned
Food--Vegetable food of one kind or other makes commonly 2-3
or 3-4 of my nourishment--the condiments I use are chiefly
Mustard, Horse radish and Onions. As to Drinks, I seldom
take any but at meal times and with my Pipe--in younger Life
my most common draft was Cider, seldom Wine, seldom or never
Beer or Ale or distilled Spirits--But for the last 40 or 50
years, my most usual drink has been a Mixture, a little
singular indeed, but as for me it is still palateable and
agreeable, I still prefer it--The Mixture is this, viz. Good
West India Rum 2 Spoonfuls, Good Cider whether new or old 3
Spoonfuls, of Water 9 or 10 Spoonfuls--of this Mixture
(which I suppose to be about the strength of common Cider) I
drink about 1-2 a Pint with my Dinner and about the same