Study and Stimulants; Or, the Use of Intoxicants and Narcotics in Relation to Intellectual Life

Alfred Arthur Reade

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• Publié par: chuej
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 52
• Langue: English

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Stimulants, by A. Arthur Reade
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Title: Study and StimulantsAuthor: A. Arthur Reade
Release Date: October, 2004 [EBook #6752] [Yes,
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Edition: 10
Language: English
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG
EBOOK STUDY AND STIMULANTS ***
Produced by Beth L. Constantine, David Moynihan,
Charles Franks and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team.STUDY AND STIMULANTS;
OR,
THE USE OF INTOXICANTS AND NARCOTICS IN
RELATION TO INTELLECTUAL LIFE,
AS ILLUSTRATED BY PERSONAL
COMMUNICATIONS ON THE SUBJECT, FROM
MEN OF LETTERS AND OF SCIENCE.
EDITED BY A. ARTHUR
READE.INTRODUCTION.
The real influence of the intoxicants and narcotics
in common use has been a matter of fierce and
prolonged controversy. The most opposite opinions
have been set forth with ability and earnestness;
but the weight they would otherwise carry is
lessened by their mutually contradictor-y character.
Notwithstanding the great influence of the
physician's authority, people are perplexed by the
blessings and bannings bestowed upon tobacco
and the various forms of alcohol.
What is the real influence of stimulants and
narcotics upon the brain? Do they give increased
strength, greater lucidity of mind and more
continuous power? Do they weaken and cloud the
intellect, and lessen that capacity for enduring a
prolonged strain of mental exertion which is one of
the first requisites of the intellectual life? Would a
man who is about to enter upon the consideration
of problems, the correct solution of which will
demand all the strength and agility of his mind, be
helped or hindered by their use? These are
questions which are asked every day, and
especially by the young, who seek in vain for an
adequate reply. The student grappling with the
early difficulties of science and literature, wishes to
know whether he will be wiser to use or to abstain
from stimulants.
The theoretical aspect of the question has perhapsbeen sufficiently discussed; but there still remains
the practical inquiry,—"What has been the
experience of those engaged in intellectual work?"
Have men of science—the inventors, the
statesmen, the essayists, and novelists of our own
day—found advantage or the reverse in the use of
alcohol and tobacco?
The problem has for years exercised my thoughts,
and with the hope of arriving at data which would
be trustworthy and decisive, I entered upon an
independent inquiry among the representatives of
literature, science, and art, in Europe and America.
The replies were not only numerous, but in most
cases covered wider ground than that originally
contemplated. Many of the writers give details of
their habits of work, and thus, in addition to the
value of the testimony on this special topic, the
letters throw great light upon the methods of the
intellectual life.
To each writer, and especially to Dr. Alex. Bain,
Mr. R. E. Francillon, Mark Twain, Mr. E.
O'Donovan, Mr. J E. Boehm, Professor Dowden,
the Rev. Dr. Martineau, Count Gubernatis, the
Abbe Moigno, and Professor Magnus, who have
shown hearty interest in the enquiry, I tender my
best thanks for contributing to the solution of the
important problem of the value of stimulants; also
to Mr. W. E. A. Axon for suggestive and much
appreciated help. I should, however, be glad of
further testimonies for use in a second edition.
January, 1883.CONTENTS.
I. Introduction
II. LETTERS FROM:
Abbot, The Rev. Dr.
Allibone, Mr. S. Astin
Argyll, The Duke of, F. R. S.
Arnold, Mr. Matthew
Ayrton, Professor
Bain, Dr. Alexander
Ball, Professor Robert S., LL. D., F. R. S.
Bancroft, Mr. Hubert Howe
Baxendell, Mr. Joseph, F. R. A. S.
Beard, Dr. G. M.
Bert, Professor Paul
Blackie, Professor John Stuart
Blanc, M. LouisBoehm, Mr. J. E., R. A.
Bredencamp, Dr.
Brown, Mr. Ford Madox, R. A.
Buchanan, Mr. Robert
Buddenseig, Dr.
Burnaby, Captain Fred
Butler, Lieut. Col. W. F.
Burnton, Dr. Lauder, F. R. S.
Camp, Madame du
Carpenter, Dr. W. B., C. B., LL. D., F. R. S.
Chambers, Mr. William, LL. D
Childs, Mr. George W.
Claretie, M. Jules
Clarke, Mr. Hyde, F. S. S.
Collins, Mr. Wilkie
Conway, Mr. Moncure D., M. A.
Dallenger, Rev. W. H., F. R. S
Darwin, ProfessorDawkins, W. Boyd, M. A., F. R. S., F. G. S.
D'Orsey, The Rev. Alex. J. D., B. D.
O'Donovon, Mr. Edmund
Dowden, Professor, LL. D.
Edison, Professor
Ellis, Mr. Alex. J., F. R. S., F. S. A.
Everett, Professor
Fairbairn, Professor R. M.
Francillon, Mr. R. E.
Freeman, Mr. Edward A., D. C. L., LL. D.
Furnivall, Mr. F. J., M. A.
Gardiner, Mr. Samuel R., Hon. LL. D.
Gladstone, Rt. Hon. W. E., M. P.
Greville, Mdlle. II
Gubernatis, Count
Guenin, M. L. P.
Guy, Dr. William
Haeckel, Professor Ernst