Break Bad Habits With a Clean Cut
By Gray
BAD habits cannot be left off by degrees. There must be a square, clean cut. Webb, the noted pedestrian, who was remarkable for vigor of both body and mind, drank nothing but water. He was one day recommending his regimen to one of his friends who was fond of wine, and urged him with great earnestness to quit a course of luxury by which his health and intellect would be destroyed. The friend appeared convinced, and told him that he would conform to his counsel, and though he would not change his course of living at once, he would leave off strong drink by degrees. “By degrees!” said Webb, with indignation, “if you should unhappily fall into the fire, would you caution your servants to pull you out by degrees!”—Gray.