at the expense of the physical powers.

MENTAL CULTURE DURING CHILDHOOD. One of the greatest mistakes which
people make in the management of their children, is to overtask their
mental faculties. Although it is exceedingly gratifying to see children
acquire knowledge, and manifest an understanding far beyond their years,
this gratification is often purchased too dearly, for precocious
children are apt to die young. The tissue of the brain and nerves of
children is very delicate; they have not yet acquired the powers of
endurance which older persons possess. The greater portion of the
nutriment assimilated, is required for growth and organic development,
and they can ill afford its expenditure for mental manifestations. They
receive impressions easier and learn much more readily than in after
life, but it is at the expense of the physical organization. Their
mental faculties continue to be developed by the expenditure of brain
nutriment, while physical growth and the powers of endurance are
arrested. It is much better to give physical development the precedence
in order that the mental organism may be well supported and its
operations carried into effect; for it must be apparent to all that an
ordinary intellect in a healthy body, is capable of accomplishing
infinitely more than a strong mind in a _weak_ body. Regularity should
be observed in exercising the mental functions. For this reason a fixed
order in the pursuit of any literary occupation is very essential. The
pursuit of the most abstruse studies will thus become habitual and
comparatively easy, a consequence of systematic application. Mental
labor should always cease when the train of thought becomes confused,
and there is the slightest sensation of depression. All distracting
influences should be absent from the mind, in order to facilitate
intense study, for the intellect cannot attend perfectly to two subjects
at the same time. Painful sensations always have a tendency to paralyze