The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-06-21
GYMNASTICS FOR YOUTH.

Sc Jfsut Esna in Eauo eorpore," has generally
been conddered as the fun of human psrfecli-
on; and vet there are few who combine toge-
ther theie neit;ma5le attributes. TIE rude ian
ofaa.ure pn1e!ies firm and agile body ; his
irnfrs are acute; all his limbs Play with faci-
li:y and grace; his bare bofom is untaught to
fhriak from the inc.emency that aials it his
eye. his conntenance, every gefUre, hefpeaks
the family of his fenfations-but his mind is in
ert he accumulates in vain the materials of
thought, and is thut out from all the enjoy
naents Of correct and comprehensive mind. At
tie other end OF tae fale, is the man efre;s,ie-
ssenf, of an acute mind and feeble frame who,
by inventing artificial expedients, has loit the
phyfical powers of the favage. While the one
plunges into the midi ofthe fream, the other
traverfes its lurface in his boat while the one
performs his journeys on foot, the other enliits
the lower animals into his fervice the frvere la
bour OF the handsis fuperceded by the n.roduc
ton of machines and even the fenfes pf the IA
wage, which are faid TO acquire fnch aftonif,ne
acutenels from the chafe of their prey, or from
the trailing of then enemy, lofe much of this
polifh, from the fcttle,: and mechanical labours
OF a civilized life. The true point of perfection
then, teeirs bringing th. e two ends
ct the tcae nearer to each other, IN civzng
the mind of the favage, and rehoring to the e..,
ervated man of refinement, the health, hardiuefs
and agility of the rude fons Of nature.
Thele remarks are not however true of all
the Inhabitants of civilized country. Diverii-
he'd labours are productive of different effects.
Thofe who ply at the oar or the plough have an
activity and energy which the labourer of the
Loom or the literary reclufe, have in vain at
tempted TO acquire. But it is to this latter clafs
o. men that thefc remarks apply with peculiar
force. Chained down to their Libraries and
books every limb lofes it's (trength, every
nerve Its ien6bility: their blood circulates low
ly and feebly: their fpirits languifh, and though
time is adding new decorations to the fanetuary
within, The has thrown more antique and lick-
iyappearance upon the exterior of the edifice.
Why are fuch men viiited by fits of ife-oath-
ing melancholy? Why to dayare they able to le-
vel 'uosA,tzias when tomorrow their ffpiirit
links beneath the oppolition of a mole hill !
Whence thoie pen6ve and pathetic complaints
of their peculiar mifery? Why do they long
to exchange their muty volume for the plough ;
the fedcntary confinement of their Library for
the blocd-firring labours of a country life All
this difconfolation cannot proceed from the diff
appointment of their literary ambition Dfap-
pointnent would lofe halfits fling, when it at
tackled hardy, healthful and nervous frame.
Why are thee men 10 often unable to cope
with the agonies of the body or the terrors of
adverlity Why do they 70 much complain of
4
to their illufrious merits? Would this imbeciI-
ity of Jsnt;nenf prevail, if excrcfe had impaired
TO the'. BODY tits hardy and faiutary eheS.s
"l'he weaker the body" Jays RoufIcau, sthe
more It commands; tbeitrongerit is; the more it
beys.''
WHY are the perceptions of fuch men, the We
ry materials out of which their knowledge is to
be fafhioned, 70 frequently faint and deltructi-
bic: If the mind depends upon the material or
eanlfatIon, upon the myferious imprelli bity
of the brain and the nerves, could we not re-
move even this formidable impeachment to their
knowledge, by increaiing the tone OF their ner-
ovous fyfem?
In fact, ont of the many evils which aiIlie
men otletters, is not the greater part TO be ira
ced back to their debilitated contributions And
may not'the rnisfortunes of this luxurious cafs
OF men be principally removed by the early and
continued exercife oftheir bodies
This department. of education was much bet
ter managed among the ancients than among
us. Public teachers were paid by the fate for
teaching The .gymna8ie esereijet: public ediiices
were erected in every city of G:eecc, fome of
them of valf extent & ditinguiihed magnitude {;
and public feaivais were held at the Olympiat,,
iRhmian, Pythian and Nemean Games, in
which the labours of the Gymnaiium were ex
hhited, IN company with the productions of
genius. Are zach public eneouragements diff
played in modern times? They are not GER
tainiy to be wiihed for. But do our private
tchooisiupply their place Can parents or pre-
ceptors pretend, that they apply that fame uni
formty and htnefs' of fyitem to the education of
the body, which they extend to the faculties
O. The mind?
1t is the Object of the work before ms, TO re-
commend thefe exerc;iss, and develope parti-
culsr plan for the protecution of them. Il is
called "Gymnaftics for Youth: or, Practical
Guide to fIealthfu and Anu(ing Exercifcs for
the ufe OF ichools--fiom the German of c.
G. SIlznann )" work, which we cannot too
highly recommend to the curious enquirer. 1t
examines the different fports now in vogue, and
attempts to reduce them to kind of auatomi-
cal order. II flows which fport is beft adapt
ed TO the strengthening of the different parts of
the body: which is beft fuiicd to the mufcIes of
the leg, Of the arm, of the body, the fenfes, &c.
The eoAfen!f Of the book may be gathered from
the heads of the chapters :-ha5izg, running,
jocninfi0a, climbing, 3y/crvatioa Of rgaii5yiiin,
lifting and carrying, kiial Of fbe hack, drazving
and Tipping qvifb rope or a boop, danefae,
rcaiking and military exerejIa, bafbiag 81 Evio-
ming, reading aloud and OBTAINING: exereies of
THE IsnteS. We prefsnt our readers with the
following extracts from the latter chapter, ais a
fpecimen ofthe manner of execution, which dii-
inguiihes this inefimable work.