The herald., 1893-01-16
THE NECESSITY OF EXERCISE,
As Essential to Mans Happi-
ness as Oil to Machinery.
The Part Games Play in Affording
Physical Relief.
The Human Mind Is So Constructed
That IL Requires Periods OF
Mental and Bodily
Relaxation.

but of his senses if he does nothing but
tount the ticks of the clocks. So man has
Invented for his solace an infinite variety
Of deliberate pastimes-artifcia work of
head or hand-which lull his perception Of
the slipping sands as we'll rs productive
labor does that of the artisan. The energy
which has been cited to show that there
are no signs of decrepitude or senility in
the world-society, mankind as mass--is
nowhere more manifest than in the elab-
orate and costly preparations for amuse-
ment-for sheer pastime-which ensue as
soon as people get respite from the task of
breadwinning.
A notable and somewhat unsatisfactory
feature in this mimicry of work is that the
professional is coming more and more to
the front, to the discouragement of the
amateur. To excel in billiards, in cricket,
in golf, tennis or any of the myriad games
played with balls of various size and ma
terial more time must be filched from
serious business than can by any means be
afforded by those who have to earn liv
ing. To become proficient in the spot
stroke postulates an apprenticeship at least
rs severe and as prolonged as that of any
skilled handicraft, and the extraordinary
perfection attained by those classed as
SCHuiCihCH CIiChctCIos do diobihSuhShCiA
from players" implies that for them it is
the business of life and not mere relaxa-
alton. The tendency of all games in this
age of wealth and leisure is to turn play
ers into athletes, and in these, as in serious
work, amateur" is synonymous with
immature"
Yet games are of such excellent use in
themselves, not only as recreation from
strain, but as safety valves for the danger
GUS or mischievous forces in human ma
ture diverting the thoughts from un-
healthy tendencies and Christening the
frames into symmetry and grace that it
were pity if room were not kept for peo
pie who can never aspire to professional
proficiency. They are potent safeguards
against two of the most deplorable deform-
tiles to which human nature is liable
iullness in the hard worked and vanity In
the idle, each Of which brings many man
and woman into tragic degree of ridicule.
Some young people are so constituted as to
feel no inclination to games, but very much
the reverse; their minds are Of such fiber as
to retain elasticity without having re-
course to systematic diversion. That they
are not characters of small capacity which
exhibit this trait may be shown by quoting
vowel known instances Of men highly
distinguished in widely different careers.
The Duke of Wellington could never be
induced when at school to throw any spirit
into the sports of other boys. He preferred
wandering about alone to the engrossing
occupation of football or cricket. Rous-
seau consumed days and nights in close
study in an attempt to master the game
of chess, but though he persevered in re-
peated endeavors they all came to nothing,
for as often as he sat down to game all
that he had learned went out of his head.
But such instances are exceptional, and in
most characters hard work unrelieved by
competitive games is apt to produce
'grooviness" and superfuous leisure stu
pidty.
1t is difficult to imagine young woman
fond of lawn tennis falling prey TO the
morbid self consciousness which consumed
the Comtesse de Senecterre. whom Tale
mant des Reaux describes as a beautiful
but very foolish woman. One Of her fan
cies was to have pillows of every size in
her bed-even for her thumbs-for she
prided herself on her beautiful hands and
slept with them open to keep the joints
small. Athletics, it is true, are peculiarly
prone to vanity. hut the form that vice
assumes in them Is that of the pride Of
life by many degrees more pardonable
than the deliberate self love Of Incidence.
1t is a long descent from games which
exercise mind or body TO those Of pure
chance, yet these have as firm hold upon
human inclination as IL they possessed
merit in themselves. No more piteous Inn
preston can be made on "a mind capable OF
reflection than is left by visit TO the
tables at Monte Carlo. Hour after hour,
lay after day. year after year. the same
crowds gather round them. blind 10 the
beauty OF sapphire sea and glorious sui-
shine, content TO swelter aud scramble aud
wrangle-for whatf Well, they are under
the thrall OF one or two notives-two de
plorable motives-one the lowest. the other
the sad6est, that can bo conceived. for
the first Is avarics--of all lust the most
obscene. of all passions the most disas-
trous
Nalor. self devotion, truth. humanity,
taay tso complex IL human nature) cooxist
with much that is evil In a character. but
avarice taints the whole being unlike
other desires. II IL never satisfied. IL Is
never at rest: nothing sweet can flow from
the source which IL has polluted Let there
be no mistake or palliation about this
Avarice is the primary lure 10 the casino
Take away the gold. and VINO would be 20
childish as 20 play for counters and sweet
meatsf The other and subsidiary motive
which collects a crowd around the tables
ls the desire of idle men 10 rid themselves
n that most precious possession, time,
which once it Is gone can never be recalled.
The loss Of which Is ever the cause Of fruit
less regret.
"knowledge comes. hut wisdom ,arries."
out here eyen knowledge seems 10 be set at
contempt. Crowds of educated people,
with ready access 70 all the stores Of
knowledge laid up through the labofiOus
ages for present use. AFFIRM tbs contempt
lblo creed Of luck. Never was there god
~ false, never one bcfore whom 10 many
bowed the knee IN profound and Ignorant
tiith. IL would be lost labor "a combat
The bclirf-almost universal and wholly
ine.adicable among gAmbisrs In an In
scrutablc infueBce upon human occasion.
capable u being offended or propitiAtrd. ID
ililcrs tn no respect from iudolalFy, for
siFillxcd. well edseatsa people behHse just
- the pagan does In regard 10 the grsst
ipirii. the souls q bis ancestors az the del.
aed powers u nataru. IL is in fact klHd
Il lusoriai animism.
'.Dout disappoint your iuckr'-ths gam
bier. cardinal prsospt-impliss ths same
ifrtd - oneuding a powerful hrings la
unf ieuG ~ slight a. sflli ui0ses tks lnhab.
'tant. n finnsselly. in lndo-CkinA. 10 isy
Hfardy sn,i cisruats on ths grave of . GER
.lin British oliieer whom they hated snd
'esrcd un accnuut & ~ tyrAanleAl ruls
Iscr them. believing that hir spirit ear
gnlF IT, kert frgn nsischi~f 81 i.ninx ulled
aith tt~ sama little luEurirs ~ losaf