I did not at all like it myself, at first, being always used to ‘a good cup of tea’ the first thing; however, use soon becomes second nature, and I prefer it now. In winter, when the apples or melons seem really cold, I bring them to a moderately cold temperature by warming slightly——the same with tomatoes: of these last, quite a lot have ripened up, although it is mid-winter, (Feb. 6, ’81.) We find that _too much nut_-food causes indigestion,[78] and it is better to combine a little vegetable-food always, if possible.” ... “One little incident in our lives here, may interest you: our oldest daughter, aged 13, has just been on a visit to some friends——the family of a doctor of the old school. His wife remarked one day that she liked the uncooked food very much, and would always use it, only she ate ‘what the others did, to keep them company.’ Alice replied (and you may imagine how proud I felt when it was repeated to me by the doctor’s daughter), ‘I am sure you do not understand the importance of it, then!’ You would be surprised to see how firm the children are: they could not, by any kind of bribery, I believe, be induced to swerve one iota from the true principles upon which we live, and they have been severely tested, too.” I regret to say that a year after the above was written, these people decided to test once more the influence of cooking their food; although it may furnish valuable evidence, and I predict their return to the natural diet with renewed faith. Now (Sept. 1, 1882), after a few months’ use of artificially prepared food (their diet is still very simple; they use no animal food, nor fancy dishes, no pastry, nor _hot_ drinks), such sentences as the following are quite significant: “Well, both my husband and myself think it possible there may be more ‘ailments’ from the use of cooked food, but there is more enjoyment too, and we shall have to take the bitter and the sweet together.” ... “I know it [uncooked food] increases the spiritual perceptions greatly.”[79]... “I still believe it would be a sure preventive of disease; but few, however, are prepared to adopt such an extreme mode of living.” Once more: “The experiment has done us good, I am sure; and I feel glad of the lessons I have learned through it. I don’t think I shall ever be what I was before using it.” [_i. e._, sickly]. Of this we can, of course, judge better later on. From an earlier letter, written in January (the 30th), 1881, and while they were enjoying the natural diet for the fourth year, I make a few extracts: “Its effects are truly wonderful, and far exceed my expectations.... The sequel has proved that it not only ensures health to those already healthy, but eradicates former weaknesses when these exist; for instance, rheumatism and ‘sciatica,’ from which I used to suffer——both have left me, I think never to return. The children frequently suffered with toothache, and occasionally with earache; now they are never troubled.