The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-06-09
SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE ., 1866.
s1Muscular Christianity.',

tMuSCuLHf CnTlstlanAty.
The old English writers were conspicuous
for the solid force of their language. Our
modern authors are remarkable for the cpl
grammatical glitter and antithetical turn of
their expressions. Perhaps the daily news
papers have had a great to do with this
The multum IN parOO style is cultivated
nowadays, and paragraphs do duty in place
of essays. To be heard, you must talk fast;
to be read, you must remember that brevity is
the soul of wit
Now and then we catch up, by common
consent, some phrase which generalizes for us
in few words some theory or belief, just as
Mr. DICKENS draws one of his curious people
by few strokes CT his wizard-like pencil.
Among these new household words we have
Muscular Christianity" not necessarily Chris
tian however, for, in point of fact, the
Greeks, the Romans, the Persans, and
the Hindoos, have devoted themselves in
very rational manner to the education Of
their bodies The Greeks studied physical
development as means of producing the
highest type of beauty; and the victors in the
Olympic games were models of manly sym
metry. The Romans, whose ponderous
swords were typical of their martial genius,
developed their bodies under the inspiration
of more material idea; and, not to make too
long story of it, John Chinaman studied
gymnastics centuries ago, and reduced it to
system under the name of the Cong Foo
ARISTOTLE, and PLATO, and GALEN, and
scores of other noble writers, have borne tes-
timony to the necessity for this muscular de-
velopment; and the athlete or gladiator Of an
and snew and bodily health, to the Benieia
Boy, the aspiring MoRRIsEY, or the late la
mented Mr.. SAYREs. .,,,,-, a.,
In Europe the gymnasium is an institution.
The youth of England excel in all bodily ex-
ercises The cricket grounds Of public schools
and the narrow waters of her rivers-so-call-
ed,-keep the muscles of John Bull in con-
slant course of iudicious training; and i'll la
ter years this respectable member of society
rides after the hounds, or takes his '.consti-
tutionar' with the regularity of a man who is
performing high moral duty And indeed
is he not2 A wise old author has told us
that sound body is necessary to a sound
mind and what duty can be graver than
that Of keeping the wonderful machinism Of
the body in good working order Bacon too,
good authority, as will be readily admitted,
says somebody ON tiis point, and, q in short,
all thoughtful men, from CoNFu..v.. who we
take it tor granted approved the Cong Foo
down, have been of the same opinion.
Considering all these things, and especially
people, it is not a little singular that the I'M
portance of cultivating our muscles, with
system and regularity, has not been more gen.
orally perceived. We have been famous
Lorsemen in Virginia time out of mind.
The Colonial gentleman were good swords
men but until of late years we have had, no
games of cricket, no baseball clubs. This
want is more generally felt now than ever
before; and our noble University, which is
conducted with consummate sagacity, is doing
great deal towards improving the muscles
and therefore the health, of the rising genera
ton. 'e.-.'''. ~
M. D'ALFoNeE as teacher of Gymnastics,
otherwise Muscular Christianity" is doing a
world Of good in quiet way. and We trust
the hint given by the Monticello Club the
other day to the base ball players from Staun-
ton will not be neglected. Let us hope that
our own societies vii, not allow this invigo-
rating exercise to go ont Of fashion. for it
cannot be denied that, whatever our piety
may be- we are not generally entitled to be
considered as very muscular christians. Aa-t
Patriotic and Dida cite. y
A Mr. DoNNELL, O'DoNNELf, DoNNELLY