New-York daily tribune., 1859-01-11
have sung nothing worth remembering. The sea

sons have heer metred and muEcked il all besom-
ing frebzies, saving the msst poetic act Of al OF
them-skstirg. The Hebrew poets knew nothing
of ice; and the Greeks sud Lstos knew not skates.
FoI the earliest note on this theme We must look
north ard In the antique saras Of the Edds, We
hear Of the god Uller, who was distinguished for
beauty Of peIson and for the perfection Of bis skst
ing. He could strike out AMI 60 as the wind. But
the English %. ia are specially good for nothing
on this noble theme; AID if the Americans have
said anytLing able on it TO uDeful measures
it has escaped our notice. And set how supremely
beautiful is skstips in all its relations! The cold
grasp Of Winter makes the waves prisoners.
Calm snd congealed they ls like fairy land.
Upon bis steel clad feet the skater comes to ride
Ike a messenger Of tie elements over this won.
drous plain. II an expert, all the sraces come
with him. The very genius OF circulaIity, their
type, is his. He courses In rounded orbits; no
Raphael in mutitudinous bOrderiDgs exceeds the
Inning of the arii.t on ice. Forward, sidewise,
backward, his movements superhumsn in their
rspioity- -dartnes, bendings, convolutions-all ara
equally easy to the fine skater. He may write his
n,me, or galartly cut that Of his mistress, the
ice. He msy be surrounded By hundred skaters
Of less skill, and though each may seek to stop hiu.
be will escape their hsnds. When the wind rsss bs
spreads his cloak and yields to IL Then be is sub.
lime. For DO motion of the earth, earthly, matches
this. Suspended betwetp the heavens above and
the waters bsbeat5, he is borne along in an ecstscy
which has 10 parallel and which cannot be described
by the unfinished nor felt BY those Of little faith
But where sbs We skste in New York; That
Quf stiCn is now answered. The fnt ins.alluent OF
the returns Of the Central Park is already paid In
tte Skating Lake, now frozen for the feet Of all
who would 90 down to it on skstes, with Police
securing order On the premises MSy We council
cur freuds, sll who are sse enough, to paftake Of
this erioymeut' Most Of all let US advise young
ladies' to Try it. IL will help their better th Al
the best MazuIkks or Lanoers The irgenuiy Of
siat, manufacturers has not been wanting to make
proper .k.,e for The 1, is fastened to shoe
and can be secure'y worn. For the reugher part
Of crestion We may advise deep-ironed skate, Of
the highest temper, for much depends on
the excellence Of tie mAteria'. We are
not aware Of any teachers in skating
Inc TACTICAL mOllons arc easy auu OIL tno Iees
depends on the native grase and alertness Of the
artists. Among practitioners there is - much
difference as smong painters, poets or journalists
A great skater 10 rare-rsrer in Ne@-fork than IN
some other plsces, where the facilities for the
pleasure have hitherto been greater. In Boston
and various parts of Nsw-Enel.bd and aloog the
Hudson River, ladies skate, aud some successfully.
In Holland and Northern Europe, it is more than
an amusement The farmer and his wife .kate to
market, With eggs and chickens 10 their baskets.
The women who do this are not aware OF the
presence Of nerves. There could be no greater boon
to our 6ne lsdies, who are shut up in their oSen-
heated rooms, or at best are furrtd W in their
olose carriages than the custom Of skating daricg
the Winter months this lake of the Genital
Park. The ice is low in perfection, and there is
ample opportunity for indulgence in this most
hesthful and ideali,tic Of all sports.