The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-11-29
NOTABLE NEW BOOKS.
A VERY SENSIBLE WORK ON PHYsI-
CAL TRAINING.

There is confdence-inspiiing air of the
practical about Mr.. Edwin Checkley's little
book, "a Natural Method of Physical Train
ing" which must at once commend It too all
sensible people into whose hands it falls. Mr..
Chickley writes modestly, but with a clear
ness and directness which convlnces the
reader that he knows what he is writing
about, and has tried himself the course of
training which he recommends to Others In
his preface Mr. Checkley says: "Muscle.
molding schemes that make men die in mid
die life may be pictorially interesting and
may sound heroic, but they are not for that
wise average mortal who wishes simply
to feel bright and strong and, II need be, find
himself ready to safely enter on any reason
able physical undertaking." The author be-
lieves there is more straining than training in
good many popular systems practiced in and
out of the college gymnasums, and the
method he advocates departs radically from
familiar systems. This method requires no
apparatus whatever, but is simply based on the
principle that systematic movements of all
the muscles and parts of the body guided by
knowledge of anatomy and regularly
persisted in will keep a man or woman
in good health and give muscular
development more genuinely useful and more
conducive to longevity than that obtained by
the violent exercises of gymnasium with ex-
pensiye and complicated apparatus. Mr..
Checkley, after telling how to carrySthe body
and how to breathe, passes on to brief de-
scription of the muscles and joints their con-
struction and functions, and then proceeds to
give series of exercises by which Joints and
muscles may alike be developed and strength
ened In an easy, simple, and safe way. Illus
trations are given, showing just how the ex-
best results. Mr.. Checkley lays much
stress on the Importance of chest
development and deep breathing, and
shows that the worst results OF the prev
alent systems Of violent athletic training are
largely due to neglect Of developing the
lungs in the right way. The book also con-
tains chapter on reducing obesity. Mr.
Checkley's ideas ION this subject have been
highly commended by those who have fol-
lowed his directions. There are thousands of
men and woman in Washington, who, con-
fined at desks all day, feel keenly the need of
systematic physical exercise, but never take 1t
because they think it cannot be obtained ex-
cept in gymnasium or by the use OF cumber-
son apparatus which would disfgure their
rooms. To these men and women Mr. Check
ley's book will prove vertable boon, If they
only get and follow its directions. 1t is
published by William q. Bryant & Co., "a and
26 Broadway, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Lady Dufferin has issued new volume of
personal experiences, ''My Canadian Journal,
1S72-7S." which will have even more interest
for American readers than her former charm
ing book, "Our Vice Regal Life in India"
The volume Is made up from the weekly
letters sent by Lady Dufferin to her mother
while Lord Dufferin was governor-general of
Canada. The book, which is published by the
Appletons, contains a portrait Of Lord Duff
ferln and illustrations made from sketches by
him. In her preface, after alluding to the neces-
stty she found in shortening the reference to
the many kind friends she had made In Canada,
Lady Dufferin says: 81 have also been sorry
TO pass SO very lightly over the cordiality
and the friendliness shown us whenever we
crossed our borders into the United States;
Tor whether we were travelling officially
through Chicago or Detroit, or went as
ordinary visitors to New York or Boston, we
were always received with kindness and
hospitality which we can never forget" This
diary which is brightly written and full of
interesting personal experiences and glimpses
OF Canadian official life, may be had at Bren-
tano's.
The first issue in the Modern Science Series,
edited by Sir John Lubbock and published in
this country by the Appletons, is ''The Cause
of an Ice Age" by Sir Robert Ball. The ap-
pearance OF this new series of scientific works,
as announced in the publishers note, is due
to the great demand for clear and readable
and at the same time accurate statements of
the work done In the various fields of scientific
activity. The books to be included in the
series are intended not SO much for students
as for the educated general reader. The first
issueis well and clearly written, and of absorb
ing interest. Brentano has the book on sale.
The Appletons have issued new holiday
edition, artistically bound and profusely
illustrated. of the ''Story of Collette," which
has attracted SO much attention in the last
couple OF years. 1t will form most accept
able and appropriate holiday gift for those
who are fond Of reading Brentano has 1t on
sale.