too hot water must be guarded against; otherwise gradually the habit of bathing in very hot water will be contracted, to the enfeeblement of the skin, and weakening of the system. A child's bathing water should not be cold enough to drive the blood from the surface, and not warm enough to induce the child to stay in the water.

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The best time for bathing is a couple of hours after a meal. Bathing should be avoided when suffering from fatigue; and on leaving the bath, although the person may feel invigorated, too violent exercise should not be taken.*

Even from the body's purity, the mind
Receives a secret sympathetic aid.

-THOMSON.

There is a natural analogy between the ablution of

the body and the purification of the soul.

-JEREMY TAYLOR.

To every act of devotion purity of heart is necessary; and to purity of heart

of body greatly contributes.f

Zoroaster supposes purity

Cleanliness of body and purity of mind is one of the ten qualities which constitute righteousness.

-"MANU SMRITI."

The pious in India in the morning first bathe, then perform their religious duties, and then take their food.

From a Manual of Family Medicine and Hygiene for India by Sir William Moore.

From Hora Biblica by Butler.

2. ACTION.

Perform all necessary acts, for action
Is better than inaction, none can live
By sitting still and doing nought; it is
By action only that a man attains
Immunity from action. Yet in working

Ne'er work for recompense; let the act's motive
Be in the act itself.*

"BHAGAVAD GÎTÂ.”

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, act, in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead! 、

-LONGFELLOW.

He that eats becomes satiate, and not who starves: so he who walks is said to proceed and not one who rests; and in like manner whoso speaks is called a speaker and not the silent man: thus action makes the man. “ YOGA VÂSISTHA."†

Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.

-THACKERAY.

From Indian Wisdom by Monier Williams.

+ Translated by Vihâri Lâlâ Mitra.

Our deeds still travel with us from a far,

And what we have been makes us what we are.*

Work with boldness and with speed,

On greatest actions greatest dangers feed.

Only the actions of the just

Smell sweet and blossom in the dust.

-MARLOW.

-J. SHIRLEY.

A man's true wealth hereafter is the good he does in this world to his fellowmen. When he dies, people will ask, what property has he left behind him? But the angels, who examine him in the grave, will ask, what good deeds hast thou sent before thee?

"THE SPIRIT OF ISLAM."

The body sins not; 'tis the will

That makes the action good or ill.

-HERRICK.

Estimate actions not by their overt results merely, but by the real but latent power that is implied in them, and the most brilliant deeds of outward heroism will sometimes fall far short of those quiet victories over self to which the Omniscient eye alone is witness.

Base all your actions upon a principle of right. Preserve all your integrity of character in doing this. Never reckon the cost.

*From Sayings from the works of George Eliot, selected by Alexander Main.

If you always remember that in all you do in soul or body God stands by as a witness, in all your prayers and your actions, you will not err; and you shall have God dwelling with you.

Eager for some ungotten good

-EPICTETUS.

We mind the false and miss the true;
Leaving undone the things we would,
We do the things we would not do.

There are three sorts of actions; those that are good, those that are bad, and those that are doubtful; and we ought to be most cautious of those that are doubtful; for we are in most danger of these doubtful actions, because they do not alarm us; and yet they insensibly lead to greater transgressions, just as the shades of twilight gradually reconcile us to darkness.

-A. REED.

Good intentions will not justify evil actions.

Be firm, but not too hasty to decide. Weigh well before you act, but having weighed, act promptly, and abide the result. This is the test of judgment.

Think not a trifle, tho' it small appear,

Small sands the mountain, moments make the year.

Mighty things from small beginnings grow.

-DRYDEN.

Who has never done thinking never begins doing.

-ITALIAN PROVERB,

Do nothing you would wish to conceal.

-MAXIM.

Do good if you wish good to be done to you.

-ARABIC PROVERB

Better do it than wish it done.

-MAXIM.

Never do that by proxy which you can do yourself.

-ITALIAN PROVERB.

Intelligent beings are capable of observing nature and of modifying their actions. By means of their mental faculties, the laws imposed by the Creator on physical substances become known to them, and when perceived, constitute laws to them by which to regulate their conduct.

-GEORGE COMBE.

To carry out an enterprise in words
Is easy, to accomplish it by acts
Is the sole test of man's capacity.*

"RAMAYANA."

Actions speak more forcibly than words, they are the test of character. Like fruit upon a tree, they show

the nature of a man,

while motives like the

sap, are

hidden from our view.

Words never can express the whole that we feel;

they give but an outline.

From Indian Wisdom by Monier Williams.