Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-05-03


This was the reply of the adroit and ever
ready Talleyrand to question of Madame de
Stael, who, on particular occasion, was bent
on elicitng from him an acknowledgment of
which of the two ladies, herself or the beauti-
full Nine Recamier, he admired the most.
"You profess great regard for me Monsieur
Talleyrand," said the accomplished writer of
Corrine To this the gentleman bowed assent
"You are also very devoted to my friend
Nine Recamier." This was responded to, al.
so, by gesture of assent "Now, Monsieur
Taleyrand, tell me frankly. Surprising that
Nine Recamier and were to fall into a riv-
er at the same time, which of us would you
try to save irst?" After a slight pause, the
acute courtier replied, while making an obeis'
ance: "Madame knows how to swim )" thus
leaving it to be inferred that Nine. de Stael
could take care of herself, he would be bound,
as an act of humanity, to try and save Nine.
Recamier
We introduce the anecdote with view of
asking, in our turn, question OF our lady
readers. 1t is-whether they would prefer to
know how to swim, like Nine. de Stael, and
thus be prepared against the possible contin-
gencies, at time, of falling into river,
and at another of buffetng the waves after
shpwreck at sca-or whether they would trust
to the gaantry of male friend or acquant-
ance, who, like Talleyrand, might be lame, TO
extricate them from their perious situation
We think we can anticipate the answer, which
if sincere ought at once to suggest to all OF the
respondents the necessity of learning to swim.
If it should be alleged that the time is past
for many of them to make the attempt, it is
still not the less evident that they must feel
themselves bound, by II proper sense Of duty
to their children, to provide means for these
latter acquiring the requisite knowledge.
Swimming is a healthy exercise, pleasant va
riety Of bathing, and, more than ALL a lite-sav-
ing accomplishment With the appliances to
be offered in the "Natatorium and Physical In
sttute, the address Of which to the citizens of
Philadelphia has been largely distributed, a
young person can soon learn to swim, in a
tenth part of the time, indeed, in which she
would learn to dance. The pleasure and the
efficacy of sea-bathing would be greatly in
creased by the parties, of either sex, who in
dulge in it, knowing how to swim.
We hold it to be positively discreditable for
man to be unable to swim; and, with the
= Romans, we would regard this defect as de-
ysaded evidence of neglected education. The
- proposed swimming baths, one for each sex,
will be of ample dimensions in every
sense, and the water of the requisite tempera-
ture. Gymnastic exercise may be used either
before or after the bah, if some preparation of
the system be deemed necessary for sanitary
purposes The exercise of swimming itself
insures, however, for the most part, the de-
sired reaction after immersion Of the body in
cold or in cool water.
Were we disposed to indulge in poetical il
Illustrations of the aid to beauty derived from
bathing, we might speak of "Venus fresh from
ocean born" of Diana and her nymphs seek
ing the cool and shady retreat for this enjoy
ment, and of the Spartan girls disporting
themselves in the Eurotas. We prefer, in con-
clusion, to allude to, as worthy of imitation,
the practice of the young ladies of New Gren-
ada, bathing and swimming in the Calca
river