That relaxation is a necessity is a fact generally admitted but most people do not suspect that, in order to rest the mind, relaxation must be active. That is not to say that our activity must entail strenuous effort, but only that it must prevent that passiveness which is conductive to dispersion of thought. On the pretext of resting, some people allow their thoughts to drift hither and thither according to their imagination. This is a harmful habit which is weakening to our mental powers, and is, moreover, unreasonable. Complete inertia is much more tiring than moderate work; it leads to incurable boredom, destroys intellectual and moral energy; in a word, it impairs our higher faculties. The most profitable kind of relaxation is derived from physical exercise or from an easy occupation. Walking is such an exercise, and is particularly recommended, for it fills the lungs with the air they need, loosens the joint, and tones up the muscles. Music, likewise, rests, soothes, and elevates the mind. In order that these occupations may give the benefit they are intended to bestow, sufficient attention must be given to them, for rest, apart from the time spent in sleep, does not consist in the desperation of one’s attention but in applying it to an easy occupation.