are becoming matters of course in the cities and larger towns; “The New York Tribune” attends to the matter of cookery; and it is safe to predict that the habits of the people will undergo in time the necessary changes.  That health is possible to Americans ought not to be questioned.  Of despair we will not listen to a word.  In crossing the ocean, in the backwoods-experience which everywhere precedes cultivation, in the excitement which has followed the obliteration of social monopolies and the throwing open of the wealth of a continent to free competition, the old traditional precautions have been lost, the old household wisdoms, the old economies of health; and these we have now to reproduce for ourselves.  It will be done.  And when this is done, though ancient English brawn will not reappear, there will be health, and its great blessing of cheerful spirits.  The special means by which this shall be accomplished we leave to the care of the gentlemen abovenamed, and their compeers—­merely putting in one word for gentle exercise, and two words for the cherishing of mental health, the expulsion of morbid excitements, assume what guise they may.  We should take extreme care not to admit decay at the summit.  A healthy soul is a better prophylactic than belladonna.  Refusing to despond respecting American health, we cheerfully trust that the genius of the New Man will find all required physical support, and due length of time for demonstrating its quality.

And now we may notice a doubt which some readers will cherish.  Is not all this, they may say, over-sanguine and enthusiastic?  Is it not a self-complacent dream?  Are the tendencies adverted to so productive?  Is any such genius really forming as is here claimed?  Is it not, on the contrary, now fully understood that the Americans are a commonplace people, meagre-minded money-makers, destitute of originality?  What have they done to demonstrate genius yet?—­These skepticisms are somewhat prevalent nowadays, and are a natural enough reaction from Fourth-of-July flatulencies.  Let them have their day.  The fact will vindicate itself.  Meanwhile we may remark, that the appeal to attained performance, in justification of the view taken in this paper of American abilities and prospects, would obviously place us at undue disadvantage.  We speak here, and are plainly entitled to speak, rather of tendencies than of attainments, of powers forming themselves in man, and not of results produced without him.  Nevertheless, results there are,—­admirable, satisfactory results.

As first of these may be mentioned American Reform.  In depth, in breadth, in vigor, in practical quality, this may challenge comparison with anything of a similar kind elsewhere.  This is the direct outburst of a new life, arising and wrestling with the old forms, habitudes, institutions, with whatsoever is imported and traditional, on the one hand, and with the crude or barbarous improvisations of native energy, on the