[To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."] StR,—May I make an
addition to the excellent suggestion of your correspondent, "X. X. X.," that the cause of sleepless- ness is the effort to obtain sleep, and that, therefore, we should cease to strive for sleep? "X. X. X." says : "Just lie awake and think how comfortable you are." The difficulty here seems to be that the thought is hardly engrossing enough to occupy the mind and keep out all the ideas and plans which throng into it at night and keep one awake, especially in the case of those who are engaged in absorbing brain work up to within a short time of retiring to rest. A very simple expedient, tried with much success when all others had failed during some years of student life, is the following. Always to have in hand to learn by heart something which is unconnected with one's special work and which it is a real rest and refreshment to dwell upon,—c.g., one of the Gospels or other books of the New Testament, or one of the longer works of some favourite poet (Browning's " Saul " is especially good for the purpose). To learn only a very small new portion each day, using the time when awake in bed to say over what has been already learnt thoroughly enough to make its repeti- tion no strain. To resolutely make up one's mind to exclude all other thoughts, and to devote one's attention only to such steady repetition, over and over again, if sleep does not come. The great advantage of this plan is that however long one stays awake, one has the satisfaction of knowing that the time has not been wasted, but has only been an opportunity for strengthening one's memory and for drinking in more fully good and beautiful ideas, perhaps also for learning something more of that discipline of thought which we so greatly need. It is also advisable to take a glass of hot milk, or some other easily digested form of nourishment, just before getting into bed, and to read a few pages of some restful book. Quietness of mind and body—of the former even more than the latter— seem to be the two chief essentials for real rest, whether the rest be taken sleeping or waking, by day or by night.—I am,
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