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done？
The obvious thing to do is to circumvent your ardour for your ordinary
day's work by a ruse。 Employ your engines in something beyond the
programme before； and not after； you employ them on the programme
itself。 Briefly； get up earlier in the morning。 You say you cannot。 You say it
is impossible for you to go earlier to bed of a nightto do so would upset
the entire household。 I do not think it is quite impossible to go to bed
earlier at night。 I think that if you persist in rising earlier； and the
consequence is insufficiency of sleep； you will soon find a way of going to
bed earlier。 But my impression is that the consequences of rising earlier
will not be an insufficiency of sleep。 My impression； growing stronger
every year； is that sleep is partly a matter of habitand of slackness。 I am
convinced that most people sleep as long as they do because they are at a
loss for any other diversion。 How much sleep do you think is daily
obtained by the powerful healthy man who daily rattles up your street in
charge of Carter Patterson's van？ I have consulted a doctor on this point。
He is a doctor who for twenty…four years has had a large general practice
in a large flourishing suburb of London； inhabited by exactly such people
as you and me。 He is a curt man； and his answer was curt：
〃Most people sleep themselves stupid。〃
He went on to give his opinion that nine men out of ten would have
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
better health and more fun out of life if they spent less time in bed。
Other doctors have confirmed this judgment； which； of course； does
not apply to growing youths。
Rise an hour； an hour and a half； or even two hours earlier； andif you
mustretire earlier when you can。 In the matter of exceeding programmes；
you will accomplish as much in one morning hour as in two evening hours。
〃But；〃 you say； 〃I couldn't begin without some food； and servants。〃 Surely；
my dear sir； in an age when an excellent spirit…lamp （including a saucepan）
can be bought for less than a shilling； you are not going to allow your
highest welfare to depend upon the precarious immediate co…operation of a
fellow creature！ Instruct the fellow creature； whoever she may be； at night。
Tell her to put a tray in a suitable position over night。 On that tray two
biscuits； a cup and saucer； a box of matches and a spirit…lamp； on the lamp；
the saucepan； on the saucepan； the lid but turned the wrong way up； on
the reversed lid； the small teapot； containing a minute quantity of tea
leaves。 You will then have to strike a matchthat is all。 In three minutes
the water boils； and you pour it into the teapot （which is already warm）。 In
three more minutes the tea is infused。 You can begin your day while
drinking it。 These details may seem trivial to the foolish； but to the
thoughtful they will not seem trivial。 The proper； wise balancing of one's
whole life may depend upon the feasibility of a cup of tea at an unusual
hour。
A。 B。
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
I THE DAILY MIRACLE
〃Yes； he's one of those men that don't know how to manage。 Good
situation。 Regular income。 Quite enough for luxuries as well as needs。 Not
really extravagant。 And yet the fellow's always in difficulties。 Somehow he
gets nothing out of his money。 Excellent flathalf empty！ Always looks as
if he'd had the brokers in。 New suitold hat！ Magnificent necktiebaggy
trousers！ Asks you to dinner： cut glassbad mutton； or Turkish coffee
cracked cup！ He can't understand it。 Explanation simply is that he fritters
his income away。 Wish I had the half of it！ I'd show him〃
So we have most of us criticised； at one time or another； in our
superior way。
We are nearly all chancellors of the exchequer： it is the pride of the
moment。 Newspapers are full of articles explaining how to live on such…
and…such a sum； and these articles provoke a correspondence whose
violence proves the interest they excite。 Recently； in a daily organ； a battle
raged round the question whether a woman can exist nicely in the country
on L85 a year。 I have seen an essay； 〃How to live on eight shillings a
week。〃 But I have never seen an essay； 〃How to live on twenty…four hours
a day。〃 Yet it has been said that time is money。 That proverb understates
the case。 Time is a great deal more than money。 If you have time you can
obtain moneyusually。 But though you have the wealth of a cloak…room
attendant at the Carlton Hotel； you cannot buy yourself a minute more
time than I have； or the cat by the fire has。
Philosophers have explained space。 They have not explained time。 It
is the inexplicable raw material of everything。 With it； all is possible；
without it； nothing。 The supply of time is truly a daily miracle； an affair
genuinely astonishing when one examines it。 You wake up in the morning；
and lo！ your purse is magically filled with twenty…four hours of the
unmanufactured tissue of the universe of your life！ It is yours。 It is the
most precious of possessions。 A highly singular commodity； showered
upon you in a manner as singular as the commodity itself！
For remark！ No one can take it from you。 It is unstealable。 And no one
receives either more or less than you receive。
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
Talk about an ideal democracy！ In the realm of time there is no
aristocracy of wealth； and no aristocracy of intellect。 Genius is never
rewarded by even an extra hour a day。 And there is no punishment。 Waste
your infinitely precious commodity as much as you will； and the supply
will never be withheld from you。 Mo mysterious power will say：〃This
man is a fool； if not a knave。 He does not deserve time； he shall be cut off
at the meter。〃 It is more certain than consols； and payment of income is not
affected by Sundays。 Moreover； you cannot draw on the future。 Impossible
to get into debt！ You can only waste the passing moment。 You cannot
waste to… morrow； it is kept for you。 You cannot waste the next hou