Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-01
WALKING.
The Folly of Stunning Pedestrian
Exercise.

HAcECASSs
Going a:foot Is not popular with Us. We are
too much in hurry to be willing t. walk even
short distance. AS consequence, the am
plest provisions for the relief of the human
legs and feet from the drudgery of locomotion
and more expeditions than tn walk. Tine and
shoe. leather are both economical, and the ma
tural desire for ease is gratified. What Won
der, then, that walking has fallen into almost
complete desuetude amongst Us? that is,
amongst civilians and people engaged in the
ordinary business of life. Even the common
la bOrer proceeds to his daily toll by horse car.
nature OH employment inVoveSa coltinu u
and strenuous expenditure OF vital force, tie
is right in husbandingit in eund0 ct redeund0,-
to and from the scene of his laborS. He does
not need the exercise of walking, as he gets
more than enough of that in earning his
bread. Horse-car are in his case most ai
mitable and justltia6le device for lOcOm0tlon
AS a neIus between business centres and very
remote suburbs. enabling the jad I'd m erchant,
aWyer, broker, banker and clerk, to immense
himself at the close of each day in the quetude
and every way Salutary environment OF the
country, horse-cars are admirable and promo
tive of health.
But when business, distance, and health
will permit, when there l. Sdnuna corpus and
an employment in which the brain is prilci-
pally active, and where the distance is not
over five miles, for example, walking is to be
that we are not yet spiritual creatures purely
in this state of existence. We are spirits served
by organs, and those organs require constant
exercise to deyelope them properly and keep
TIE n in fitting condition. Soul and body are
so mySteriOuSly and intimately intercOnnected
in tins life that If they are not exercised and
developed pGrt pdSSu, the man deteriOraJes.
The brain, the material condition of mental
phenomena, with its delicate, involved and
labyrinthine structure, wants below it a full
chest, buOyed and diStended by well-inflated
lungs, and highly assimilative stomach and
sturdy cOlumnar legs, thewy and Sinewy. To
be constantly sitting on chairs, stools and
cushioned car SeatS-in other words to relieve
the legs constantly from duty, is to finally IN
fit them entirely for the performance of their
natural functions: and as each member of the
body acts upon every Oner and is reacted up
on III turn, the diSuse and inertia of one i'm
pair all The rest. 1t is said that our atmos-
whereas in the moist air of the British
islands a ten or twelve miles stretch is followed
by little OF no lasSitude and exhaustion, here
1t IS otherwise. 1t may be SO, but non cOnStat-
1t is not probable. Sherman'S army, after their
long circuit through the south, came in fresh
and strong, with their muscles wonderfully
developed and strengthened The talk about
the exhaustive quality of the American atmOl-
atmosphere is the finest in the world, equal 10
that most pure and brilliant air of Athens,
native TO famous wits. or hoSpitlble," of
which the ancient Attic poet sings. 1t is lust
the thing wherewith to initiate The lungs and
feed the brain with sparkling and exhiarating
blood. Indeed, during the greater part of the
year we may be said, like the Old Athenians, to
be always walking lin our case, however, it
should be riding through most luminous at
mos here" The experience of our soldiers,
and their fine and vigorous physical condition
after marches OF almost unparalleled length,
dispose of the Islander agains
American air as unfavOrable to walking. This
being So what excuse is there for so much
riding, where walking wOu be every way
more conducive to our health and general
well being?
The reader of Rousseau's Confessions will
remember with what guS;O and lingering de
light ne dWells upon his many pedeStri TN ram
OF Savoy and Switzerland. To read his glow
ing account of his youthful and hayward
r0NlDgS on loot is enough TO make one try the
experiment of similar excursion. Rousseau
represents himself during his pedestrian
rambles as glowing with physical aud mental
excitement. his mind inspired by the charm
ing rural scenes through which he was pas,
ing, being full OF reverieS or actively engay ed
his 0rks i>entiled The Rereries Of a Walker.
Walking is indeed most exciting exercise and
soon kindles a glow in the hood, which i'm
parts delightful eXhilaratiOn to the mind.
WEAKNESS when his blood is fairly warmed up
but pleasant excitement pervading mi nd
and BODY both. We believe that our scholars,
artists and writers are getting to be grea
heallhfulneSS of the natural method OF locom,-
ton. IhOreau set a good example in this
respect. He was walker an accom-
plished pedestrian, otherwise he couL.
never have become so Familiarity a..
quainted with Our natural scenery, and hi
writings would never have been so thorough,
imbued with is spirit. Ii we are not miStak ken
II is getting to be fashionable for the SUDDEN 5
OF our academies, colleges and other Semina-
rleS OF learning, during summer vacations, 10
Il avel long distances to the mountains AMI
SeaShore on foot, camping out at night, gip$y
like. This mode OF travel brings men int
close communion IL ct
Salutary in its effect The readers of tn. ife
Of Professor Wilson, by his daughter, viii re-
member with pleasure her account of the long
ramble of the Professor and his fair young
wife through the Highlands OF SEQ land, aud
their varied and sometimes ludicrOus expe-
rienceS. Wordsworth, the high priest of ma
ture, was great walker, SO was d. Quincy,
George Sands COnsueIO there is a most CHI RIM
ing account of a journey on foot of the he
rOine in company with Haydn, then a poor
to Vienna. There is description of SINH ar
journey in ROusSeau's Confessions, made by
him in company with Merceret, maid ser
want OF Madame de Waren'S from Cnamberi
to Fryburg in Switzerland.
From June to Indian Summer New England
l. fairy land to ramble over on foot. In the
height OF summer there is portion of the d ~
when the wayfarer will find it convenient to
Shun the fervid heat, either under the shelter
OF roadside roof or some wide-spreading tree :;
but even in midsummer there are many cool,
QeN! nOuTS, uOIn at morning ana ar evening,
when sufficient length of way may be ira
yerSed to answer every purpose of the Pc les
TRAN HerOdOtus calls an accomplished walker
"a well Zoned man." and expresses distance
by the length OF time it would occupy such a
one to traverse them. Among the other iuci-
cents of foot travel is a most vOracOus ape
tite, which is of Itself blessing in our own
well penped and weli-prOvisiOned New Eng
land. Thirst can be quenced at short intervals
from old Oaken buckets hanging in the
shadow of mighty elm trees. A draught
OF COenac Is not lnterdicted to the pedeS
trian, when he has drawn somewhat ex-
tenslVely upon his legs in climbing noun
tainS and performing other arduOus exploits.
well as in mind, after most exhaustive four
ney Oh foot, relates how he drank, to quench
the thilS caused by heat and travel, whole
pan of milk, dashed with bottle of Mnuntain
Dew. This was Cyclopean feat, indca ing
the vigorous nature of the man. To put your
sell properly in communion wi h natural
scenery you must traverse it on foot. Seen
from the window OF rail car, mountains
rivers, lakes, meadows and valleys form a
sort of indistinguishable and flying panorama.
mOmentary glimpSes are only
Top with MephistOpheleS to the witch festival
in the HalZ:
The limits IF the sphere o. dream
The bounds OF tue false past;
Tad US on, thou wandering glea II,
Lead us onward far and fast.
To the wide, the desert waste;
But see hO@ swift advance and shift,
Tree: behind tree, row by row,
And cliff by eff; roci q bend and lift
Theil frcwning foreheads go:
Trc giant shouted crags no! hp.
How they snort and how they blow!
I