Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-26
RECREATION OF AUTHORS.
Writers Have Found Health and
Pleasure in Physical Sports.

From the Philadelphia Press.
A look through Who's Who" discloses
the fact that most authors nowadays seek
recreation in outdoor sport. At one time
the author who lived out of doors was an
exception. Wordsworth was a prodigous
walker. So was his friend. Professor Will
son ('Chrstopher NOrthD. The latter was
also a wrestler and jumper. who could meet
all corners. George Borrow was giant in
stature and physique, Notwithstanding his
hairless face and effeminate voice. He is
credited with ability to walk sixty miles
day. No one who has ever read 'Laven-
gro will forget his account of his fist fight
with the Flaming Tinrnan. That encounter
showed that he had not only science"
but staying power. Byron prided himself
on his dexterty with the gloves. Neces-
sarily he was badly handicapped by his
lameness- However, he seems to have been
a respectable amateur boxer. The stories
OF his prowess a swimmer are we'll au-
thenticated. When virtually unframed he
covered long distances in the Lake of
Geneva. and he duplicated the classic feat
OF Leander in swimming the Hellespont.
Among the poets of our own day Swim
hurne appears to be the one who has ex-
celled IN swimming. Edgar Allan Poe was
addicted TO this form of sport. and had few
equals in the days of his own vigorous
manhood He was known to have an am
bitiOn TO swim the English channel from
Dover to CalaiS-a feat which in later years
WAS accomplished Dy the daring but un-
fortunate Captain Webb. who persisted in
his foOlhardy attempt to swim through the
whirlpool rapids at Niagara. AS a jumper
Poe must have been remarkable and in our
times, when college athletics are so assidu-
ously cultivated he would probably have
taken championship h0nors. William Gull
len Bryant took gymnastic exercises I'D to
the time of his death. Writing to a friend
In his seventy-seventh year. he says: II
rise at 30 and begin a series of exercises
designed TO expand the chest and call into
action all the muscles and articulations of
the body These are performed with dumb
bells. with pole. a horizontal bar and a
hsht chair swung around the head After
q luIi hour passed in this manner 1 battle
from head TO foot
George Meredith was celebrated in his
earlier years for handling heavy weights
and welding Indian clubs He was also an
untlring walker. Before Tennyson began
10 fetI his age he also a noted pedes-
TRAN Charles Kingsley was the typical
muscular Christian a good boxer a good
oarsman and fond of walking Dickens as
pedestrian was almost a prodigy in the
matter OF speed and the amount of ground
ne could cover. Conan Doyle is a cricketer
OF some reputation. but he takes an active
interest in other athletic sports. Andrew
Lang IS the arch apostle of goling Gale
DOMAIN sports had loving participant in
Robert Burns, who delighted in feats of
strength In putting the stone" he could
give odds 10 most men and beat them and
ne Is said to have had few equals in lifting
heavy weights George Bernard Shaw is
probably the only living writer who ac-
tualy processes contempt for athletics
He admits that he takes exercise in cycling.
but describes his recreation as anything
but sport