Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-19

rt The following extract on the subject of
gymrasinms we take from Halls Journal Of
I Health for May go ,. 'vi2 s,s ~.
It is reported that arrdhgenicnts are in
progress for establishing gyinnasiums for
students, and members Of Young Mems Asso-
Citations. Are our embryo doctors, and law
yers, and clergymen, going to make Tom
Hyers and Bill Pooles and Yankee Sullivans
of themselves Does the ability of q jurist
depend on the amount of beef he earliest Is
physicians skill to be determined by the
hardness of the musclesl Is q clergymans
efficiency measured by the agility of his
monkey capers, by his dexterity Of hanging
ON to o beam by his hind leg, and swinging.
up to touch his nose against the big toe Of
"tother footP' So ,y'.
A man'sntellectually does not depend on
the amount ofbrute force which he possesses.
1t does not require giant, strength TO write
sermon, or make book, or ''clear" q thief,
or feel apulse. or an assembly of French
sacdns, on q certain occasion, Humboldt, be-
ing present, was found by an accurate mode
of measurement, to have the least muscular
strength of the whole company, of which he
was the greatest and the oldest. Small men,
fragile men, men Of little muscular vigor
may have good bodily health, and among
such are found q vast excess in number ofthe
opposite class, and in all ages and countries
who are the brightest of the worlds bright
est stars. AS very general rule, it holds
good-the bigger the man the bigger fool he is.
Who ever saw q giant who was remarkable
for anything beyond the size of his body
while the srnallness of his head and the little
that is in it, is notable thing. Both body
and brain need vital force; the mind is great
in proportion as that vital force is expended
in the brain; but if it is used up in develop
ing the muscles the brain must suffer. If
one expects to make his living by the exer-
else of muscular strength let him, as a boy
and youth, develope that strength by steady
labor and Regular and temperate life, If it is
his wish to make money by ledgerdiemain, by
monkey capers, by rope-walking, by mirac-
ulous poses and astonishing feats Of ground
and lofty tumbling, then the gymnasium is a
very proper place for him, and it is well that
the energies of the system should be ex-
pended in the direction of the muscles; but if
he aims at a professional life, one which is to
be followed as a means of living, he must ex-
ercse the mental not the muscular powers;
to the brain and not to the beef, must the en-
ergies of the system be sent in order that, by
| their exercise, the brain may be developed
and the mind work with the power. 81"
10 sedentary persons, violent, sudden, and
fitful exercise is always injurious, and such
| are gymnastic performances. Soldiers die
| early. To-day they are doing nothing--to-
morrow the forced march, the terrible battle
| summon up to the very dregs the employ.
ment Of dormant energies. The disabiitieE
| and death, of a campaign are many times
greater by disease than by the bullet, foi
| shocks, and great alterations, always cause
disease. a.. ..'r. 8..'.aJ..
The exercise of the student should be reg
! ular, gentle deliberate-always stopping
| short Of felt fatigue. One hours joyous walk
with q cheerful friend in the street, or field,
| or woodland, will never fail to do greater
and more unmixed good than double the
| time in the most scientifically conducted
gymnasium in the world. There are indi-
vidual cases where the gymnasium is
of the most undeniable benefit, but the
masses would be the better for having MOTH
ing to do with them. A million times better
recipe than the gymnasium for sedentary per
sons is, 5,,s agl 80. -Sgl i.'1.
Eat moderately and regularly of plain
nourishing food, we'll prepared ll z liib5
Spend two or three hours every day in the
open air, regardless of the weather, in mod
crate untiring activities. ~ sl''f'
Il