This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1837 edition. Excerpt: ... 94 Chapter VII. MEANS OF PRESERVING HEALTH. IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT. OBJECTIONS ANTICIPATED. THE LAWS OF OUR BEING ARE FIXED. EXTRACT FROM DR. COMBE. ADVANTAGES OF THE STUDY OF PHYSIOLOGY.--STRUCTURE OF THE SKIN. CLEANLINESS. WARM AND COLD BATHING. MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF THE SKIN AND THE LUNGS. -- CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOD. EXERCISE. COLD EXTREMITIES. THE LUNGS. DIGESTION. FOOD. DRINK. FASTING THE BEST CURE.-- CONSTIPATION. TIGHT LACING.-- TIGHT SHOES. Were this chapter headed with, "The Means of Preserving Beauty," how many eyes, that will now turn away from it with indifference, would then he riveted to it; and yet a hetter understanding of the subject would make those who are most anxious to preserve their good looks, seek most eagerly to know how to preserve their health, for without that, no one can long be beautiful, and with it the plainest person is sure of one kind of comeliness. We think with horror of that sort of suicide which is committed by hanging, drowning, or poisoning; but take no note of the more numerous, and more responsible cases that are to be found among those who destroy their health by inattention to the laws which a wise Creator has affixed to the human constitution. Ignorance, a blamable ignorance, of the structure and functions of those organs on which life depends, has occasioned the death of thousands. Women study all the arts and sciences which are fitted to embellish life, whilst they fail to become acquainted with that one subject, on which depends the exercise and full enjoyment of all else that they IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT. 95 know. They spend years in learning to sing, without devoting one hour's attention to the construction of that wonderful instrument, the lungs. They pursue all other kinds of...

In Conversational Rhetoric, Jane Donawerth traces the historical development of rhetorical theory by women for women, studying the moments when women produced theory about the arts of communication in alternative genres-humanist treatises and dialogues, defenses of women's preaching, conduct books, and elocution handbooks.