The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-08-23
Gt.e artS a1tn Grlgmce8.
ART OF S WLlNllIgNG.

o. Bernardo, Neapolitan, has pubshed treatise
on the Art OF Swimming, which furnishes
the basis of an article in the last number OF
the Quarterly Review. Considering this as
/; subject OF universal interest, we have
made few extracts from this article, which
will explain the general principles OF the
Neapolhan author. [N. 7. ID. .Ad0.
Is IL is the unfortunate propensity to
look down, and 10 manner TO embrace
the water, casting the arms about, that
occasions the inexperienced TO sink
every struggle forcing the body deeper.
and counteracting its natural tendency, II
ii were but kept tranquil, and the lungs
Inflated, TO rise TO the surface. violent
struggling and throwing the limbs about
would, in the same manner, infailibly
deprive the body of locomotion, or oil
retaining its erect posture on land. Ev-
cry swimmer knows that by holding
himself perfectly still and upright as
if standing, with his head somewhat
thrown back so as 10 rest on the surface.
his face will remain entirely above the
water, enabling him 10 enjoy the free
dom of breathing. The only difficulty
is to preserve the due balance of the
body, and this is secured by extending
the arms IateralIy under the surface of
the water, with the legs separated, the
one TO the front, and the other behind,
thus preventing resistance TO any ten
dency of the body to incline to either
side, forward, or backward. This pos
ture may be preserved perfect eqnili-
brium for any length of time. In gen.
eral when the human body is Immersed,
one eleventh of its weight will remain
above the surface in fresh water, and
one tenth in salt water.
1.-The great desideratum, therefore, tor
safety to the inexperienced, is hrm
and sufficient conviction of the fact, that
the body naturally floats. This conVlc-
ton being gained, no more than com
mon share of presence Of mind Is FAR
Their required to insure that that pro-
portion of the body which will naturally
remain above the surface, shall comPre-
bend the respiratory organs.
cit is natural 10 suppose, thatthe less
we alter our method Of advancing IN
the water from what is habltual TO US
ON shore, we shall find continued ex-
ercise of it the more easy. According
TO this principle, the usual position oil
the swimmer, stretched fat on his face,
and the head held as much back on the
shoulders as possible is liable TO olJec-
lion. Sayages are observed to urge
their forward progress In an attitude
nearly as upright as when they walk or
run on land. Hence their motions are
easy, the head is in perfect liberty to be
used when wanted.
Ct In stating the natural tendency OF the
human body to float, it must OF course
he UNDERSTOOD with the qualification OF
lis bling gently immersed; for the i'm
neus given by the fall Of the body into
sater must occasion its sinking 10
Ideplh proportional To the force of that
impetus. lis natural buoyancy, ho@ev-
er, soon impels it to the surface, where,
after a few oscillations up and down, II
will in time settle with the head free.
In the alarm of falling into the water,
ignorant or timid people, as soon as they
again rise TO the surface, stretch the,
arms out to grasp at whatever may pre-
sent itself, and, in SO doing, effeclually
keep the head under; as the arms and
head, together, exceeding in weight one
tenth of the whole body, cannot both
remain above the surface at the same
time.
t.The principal reasons givenby Ber-I
nardi for. recommending the upright po-
stion in swimming, in preference to the
horizontal, as commonly practised, are,
its conformity to the accustomed move
ment of the limbs /; the freedom it gives
10 the hands and arms, by which any
impeachment may be removed. or any
offered aid readily laid hold Of; vision
all around, and much greater facility
of breathing; and, lastly, that much
less Of the body is exposed tc the risk
of being caught hold of by persons
struggling in the wateF, circumstance
so often fatal 10 those who adventure to
the assistance of others. A person
swimming in an upright posture adyanc-
es more slowly, but he can continue his
course much longer.