New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-22
rtialy destroyed These bull ings bave been Get %
C several times within the past two weeks.
GYMNASTICS.
THE BROTHERS HANLON AT NIBLos
GARDEN.


portions among the American people, that there per-
bsps some tendency 10 uu5nly goy The possessorso
superb muscle" deep Chests and welldeycloped
limbs But when it is considered ths firm DHsces and
fine limbs are solid proofs Of health sna strength thss
deep chests surely evidence great vital teDscy and
pcwers of endurance, and that hesc developments Of
the purely ply steal aImos always coexist with stout
hearts and clear beads II cannot be denied that bodily
training, exercise, and gymnastics should take much
more prominent place in educational schemes Vhau
is at present accorded them. There il Young
in the land who won't be q better man, well q
better merchant or banker for being able 10 go cred
itaby Trough his exercises with the parallel bars and
the horizontal ladder; there is law stHdens who
won't he able to draw better brief, aud make q
clearer and more logical argument, he has previously
distinguished himself with the Ghy'sx pound danb-
bells; there is 10 embryo clergyman whose sermons
won't have twenty times convincing force II their
author can three times round the raee-track with
ont stoppng for breath. And no. male retail dry
goods clerk in the city, who, by being that very thing
il doing wrong TO Woman by usurpng, in % much,
her legitimate work but will feel elevated above The
unmany occupation of doing out dimes worth OF tape,
in exact proportion TO the glory he earns by dexteroas
manipulations of weights and ropes and hooks, and
barp and the other special providences Of the Gym
nasium. man who is enough of man to climb,
hand over hand forty foot swinging rope, viii speed
ily tire of peddling books and eyes.
The public attention is at this time very strongly
attracted to the subject Of mnssics the more 70 for
the reason that have now in this city family OF
QyDnasts who, by their daring and graceful feats OF
strength and skill have made themselves the present
wonder of the town. Their achievements the more
remarks BILE from their originality being, for the most
&c, bol limo of
formances. The nightly crowds that thrOng Nblo's
Garden and their wonder at the feats Of the Hanlon
broher testify the interest of all classes of people In
muscular gymnastics The Hanlon family are, with
out question: the finest gymnasts that have ever pno-
licy exhibited in America. True we have had, and
still have admirable performers who, as heroes OF The
sawdust ring have heretofore challenged our ssmrs-
ZION; who were marvellous in the somerset way. won-
derfu in Jumps and miraculous in the sprngboard bus-
uess-who could stand on their heads and take their
| wilma and walnuts, and who seemingly perambua'ed
the ring with more Gaze on the palms OF their hands
than on their plantdr asciG In the exercises OF the
balloons the banners the hoops the hurdles the ropes
the wires the bars, the poles, and all the other old
fashioned business Of he ring, our YANKEE circus men
were perfect But the achievements Of these brothers
are different from these, and are very ditn'ut and
very graceful aud al performed with an easy Ger
tinty and perfect confidence in their powers that
remove. FROM the mind Of the spectator all apprehen~
son for their safety even while they undertaking
| feats seemingly impossible.
They have excited 90 much admiration during their
asy here that few facts concerning them VIII doubt
| less prove Interesting.
| The performers sre six brothers, Thomas George,
William, Alfred Edward and Frederick. The father,
Thomas Hanlon, senior was stage manager ior
many years. and at one time won considerable celeb
ry on the stage as delineator of Irish and Scotch
character Thomas Hanlon, the eldest Of the broth
ers, was born at Kingston, near Dublin; George was
born in Belfast William, Alfred, and Edward were
born in Manchester England, and Frederick first Jaw
the light in Liverpool Their ages are now as follows;
Thomas, "a; George, 81 William, 20; Alfred, IL
Edward, ~ and Frederick 10. There is also little
sister aged s. who is not to be brought up in the pro-
fessiop.
At a very early age, Thomas brought him
self favorably before the notice of the Prsfes
ors of the Athenaum, Manchester, England, by
the attention he paid to his gymnastic exercises.
Encouraged by their notice, he perseyered and soon
became as a child remarkable. 1t is worthy Of note
that, in after years he became Professor Of Gym
nsstcs in this very institution, where he rss learned
TO develop his youthful muscle
While the three elder boys were yet children, they
were apprenticedto John Lees, English gymnast Of
come Tenown, Of whom they learned the rudlments Of
| their profession and with whom they remained for
than ten years, visiting many fore countries.
-Four years ago, Lees died in Havana and the three
boys returned TO England assumed the care and train
ing Of their brothers, and organized the present
company
1t may easily be supposed that their wondrous gym
naste proficiency has been only attained by the most
severe and persistent practice. Even now, several
hours every day spent in arduous training, espe-
cally by the younger brothers Their leats are all
invented by Thomas, who contrived the perous lad
the boys which has not yet been exhibited here and
many ether oonrvaDces which have as yet been kept
in the background in this city owing the sickness
of William who is admitted by all the brothers TO be
the best ~ mnast of them all. On the 5th of Novem
Der last, while performing the double trspeze act in
Manchester, England be missed his hold and fell thr-
ty-fye feet 10 the floor He struck on his feet but
the shock go great throw him down with great
violence, dsocatipg his elbow, and severely Diurinx
his left hand lie has been unable to perform since
that time, though the excellent surgeon under whose
care he now is informs him that be will be able to ap
pear again in month OF elk weeks
Those who haye Thomas Hsnon perform his
startling feats the ladder, may be pleased 70 know
that he has fallen from that bad emnsnce but
once, on which occasion he eame down head frs: from
height of forty feet, striking in the orchestra utterly
demoshng three doles putting his heels through the
double bass and his head through one Of the kettle
druue lie himself was unuiured nave 10 the extent OF