The Physical basis of T I L

Men of great imaginative power are commonly addicted to a habit which is peculiarly dangerous. They work as race horses work, with the utmost intensity of effort during short spaces of time, taxing all their powers whilst the brilliant effort lasts. Eg. Beckford while writing the tale "Vathek" when he was 20 years of age did it in a single sitting spanning three days and two nights. this costhim a serious illness. Some of the best poems by Byron were also written in a similar manner. Most often nature provides a remedy for the recuperative process. the same law can be seen in the carnivora too,  which maintain or recover their capacity for extraordinary effort by intervals of absolute repose. Wordsworth too while composing "White Doe of Rylstone" received a wound in his foot and he observed that the continuation of his literary labour  increased the irritation of the wound, and suspending the work diminished it and complete mental rest produced perfect cure. But Wordsworth health at seventy two was excellent. Another example is Kant the philosopher was in excellent health for nearly 30 years he rose at precisely the same time(minute) his physical machine worked in such regular order. He knew that the regularity of his intellectual life depended entirely on the regularity of the bodily function. Kant's breakfast, which he took at 5 in the morning consisted of a cup of tea and a pipe of tobaco. On this he worked eight hours, he either lectured or wrote and had his lunch at 1 and this was his only meal. he read from six in the evening till a quarter past ten. a second meal would have interfered with his power of attention. He also withdrew his mind from everything requiring effort fifteen minutes before he went to bed. The regularity of his daily walk taken during the afternoon in all weathers and a strict limitations of hours of rest helped in the soundness of his sleep. Few lives can be so minutely regulated without risk of future inconvenience.
Goethe used to work till 11 without taking anything. when he took a cup of chocolate and worked till 1 at 2 he dined and this was an important meal of the day.
Physical exercise, when the constitution is strong to endure it, is by far the best tranquillizer of the nervous system