Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-15
TIE NECESSITY FOR "PLAY ARCHERY
AND ITS CLAIMS

in this country We live at greater speed,
we work harder and faster, and make
greater cali upon the nervous system. The
strain TO which men in business, in shop and
in office, are by our system constantly sub
iect, wears out the human machine rapidly
unless it is frequently and thoroughly lubri-
Gated by rest, recreative exercise and
change. We need to get out of the groove
of labor and worry just as often, and for as
long a time as is possible. Dr. Richardson,
learned and philosophic English physi-
clan, thinks every man, even in this age of
rush, entitled to at least ninety years of
life thirty to attaining physical and mental
maturity, thirty to dwelling on plane in
full possession of his best faculties, and
thirty for a gentle decline. Regular and
temperate habit and well-ordered life
alone can give any promise for the attain
ment of longevity, but a well ordered life
must include recreation as well as labor,
and exercise contra.distinguished from
work
Change relieves mental WEAKNESS.
gives rest to the brain and sets
the muscular structure about the business
of rebuilding. But change should be ac-
compauied by exercise, and without it is
an absolute injury, as the absence OF the
latter means stagnation, not rest But
restful exercise must not be taken to mean
violent exertion Those accustomed to
daily manual labor need more vigor i'll their
recreative exercises than those OF sedentary
habits, but in either case violence in exer-
else is as dangerous as perfect rest, and
either extreme is to be avoided. In short,
what American men and women need is
play When the disposition to play is ut
terly dormant, it is time for the man to
die and he'd better do it. The person
who has no playful moods and can en-
gage in neither recreatiye exercise of the
body, nor amusements of the mind, is an
unnatural being.
We would, then, engage in horseback
riding in driving, in hunting and fishing,
in tramps over hill and dale, in walks that
incite the lungs to long, full, deep draughts
of air. We may swing the bat upon the
diamond field, investigate the gentle vigor
OF lawn tennis, undertake the risks of
cricket. plunge into the swimming. bath,
and so on. But not all men can ride, or
drive, or hunt, or fish, or walk at length,
or engage in those games which call for the
cooperation of others. The use of the
gun entails much expense and no little
danger, the ball and bat are for the vigor.
Gus only, and both these exclude ladies
and children from participation The pos
session of horse is luxury to the many,
the bicycle adapted to the few, and breast
ing the waves is granted to the favored only.
What we need, then, is cheap exercise
and amusement, and archery, now popular,
seems to us to be of the desired class.
Many worthy people are inclined to sneer
at this exercise as something beneath their
attention, but such contempt arises in
nearly all cases from want of knowledge of
the subject. Archery is 50 cheap as to be
within the reach of all it is open to men,
women and children alike; it is prose-
cuted without drain upon the purse it
invites TO the exercise of walking suffi-
GENTLY; it promotes muscular power and
encourages chest development it demands
exercise without violent exertion; it may
be followed alone or in groups it satisfies
in a large degree the natural taste for
craftsmanship and invites to those COM
petitive struggles in which every man and
woman in the land takes some interest III
one way or another, for there are none. we
hold, who are not influenced by contests
of endurance, speed, strength and skill,
and there is no man in whom the spirit
that fosters these does not exist-that spirit
which finds satisfaction in various forms,
as horse.racing. athletic contests, pedes-
trianism, craftsmanship, competitive tests
Of strength. endurance. skill in games,
etc.
In archery. then. we find a cheap, agree
able, useful outdoor amusement, ane it's
introduction into this country should meet
with that encouragement which the neces-
sity for economic, varied and attractive
amusemeuts demands. Considering the
subject from the rational standpoint, and
outside of the esthetie considerations
which enhance its value, we must agree
with good Roger Ascham when he thus
summed up the qualities of archery? 1t
is an exercise most holesome for the
bodye, pastyme most honeste for the
minde, and, as l am able to prove my
g self, of all other most fitte and agreeable
with learnynge and learned men. There
e fore not only love shootynge, exhorte
q all other to shootynge, but I also use
" ahootynge
Let it then be hoped that archery, and
all similar cheap amusements which com
plUc GAe4 CinG Win shili, fttitGtiOI HlSupuV
exhaustion, and permit of the outdoor
minglng of the sexes in ehaste entertain
ment, may grow in favor until the Ameri-
can age shall rival if not excel that Grecian
era "in the far.off ages when the young
4" Greeks ran the race, or aimed the bow,
or threw the massive quot those days
in which strength OF limb and skill of
hand were accounted among the highest
gifts the gods could bestow.
THE HARVEST yLATrERING OUTLOOK.
We this morning present a very ex-
haustive report of the condition of the
crops and the outcome of the harvest in
California. 1t is well worth attentive Pc
rusal. The reports will be found to war
rant the conclusion that the cereal crops of
this year will be much greater than ever
before produced in the State The reports
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