The Washington herald., 1911-05-15
Is THE
LATEST LONDON FAD

paradox Of the day: The gospel Of
health In the temple Of luxury. King
Georges own physical instructor is a
| pnliosophic revelation. The great San
cow Is to be taken seriously. Many a
Iashionable preacher might envy San
COW the throng that waits In his ante
rooms: poets. professors, dukes, duch-
esses. soldiers. actors, the light and lead
ing Of every rank and profession, all
come to learn from this simple-hearted
herman athlete. enthusiast, and business
man the plain gospel Of the Greeks-the
gospei or health and human nature. At
one ana the same hour the white cur
tains OF three adjoining inches screened
from each other distinguished arch
deacon. famous opera singer. and one Of
the two supreme luminaries Of the
British judicial bench
AFTER all, why should our philosophers
be set OF bald-headed, long -bearder fel-
lows, cropping In books all their lives,
prating to worshiping intellectual"
ladies at afternoon tea, but great babies
as far as anything connected with the
glory OF manhood is concerned.
He is philosopher. this Sandow. He
has probably made far more people hap
py than did ever Schopenhauer, with his
scholastic coat-tails. He Is more be-
sides. He Is artist, gospeler. man OF
action all combined. He is an enthu-
siast none the less because his en-
thusiasm is radiated with the frank de-
light of success and managed on busi-
originator, an idealist with a complete
and daring theory Of life. He has bonn
barded his generation with truths as
courageous and profound as any
propagated by Bernard Shaw or Sir
Oliver Lodge. He Is to be taken Sc
riously.
One begins to find the creative person.
ality of Sandow as soon as one turns
into the wonderful little court of St.
James street, where his curative insti-
tuition" Is to be found. One enters what
seems at first some restored atrium from
Herculaneum or Pompeii. The approach
breathes the very spirit Of Graeco-
Roman art. the marble pavement,
the pediments and fluted columns
The pensive Hercules in bronze that
guards the door casts a further classic
spell over the guest. who ascends by mar
BILE steps to what might be taken for
some antique temple. With 1t all there is
a Teutonic air about the scene which tells
Of the land OF Sandow's bitrh-the lattice
background. the tubs Of evergreens. the
checkered black and white.
Once within, there is luxury every
where-divans. statues, carpets deep and
soft. old treasures of bronze and china,
paintings and bas-reliefs-testify to the
fact that Sandow Is no believer in as
ceticism. On the contrary, he is be-
lever in all the salutary pleasures Of
life. Every detail Of this really wonder
full and curiously personal building has
been designed by him. even to the Zulu
trophies upon the wall, that bring with
them a refreshing suggestion OF bar
barrie vigor. For II is Sandow's gospel
that the highest and most exotic joys
of modern life are compatible with
health. He is the foe not of luxury.
but of lassitude. It Is here that he
breaks with the ideals Of that imperial
Rome which his surroundings suggest.
For instead of encounterng languid
sybarites, dropping over roses and wine,
one finds an all-pervading spirit of brisk
ness. alertness, and good cheer.
AS he takes one around the reception
rooms. baths. and exercising halls-all
marble floors and Turkish rugs-with
their airy. curtained inches (cubicles),
and the dumb-bells and developers"
against the walls. and instructors and
patients merrily listing out together. he
expounds not only his medical theories
look which is beginning to permeate and
revivify London society.
From the purely physical point of
view" says he. II don't think there is
any need now to worry about champion
ing the system. 1t Is accepted already.
Every day between 300 and 400 people
come here for treatment, about 100 of
them ladies. Some Of them are recon-
mended by doctors. for I am working in
harmony with the medical profession, and
some of them are sent here by friends.
Of whom 1t has made new men and
women. I knew it would succeed. but
tried It myself first.
Il was a delicate lad. and II was solely
due to this treatment of mine that, as an
unknown young man. I was able lowell,
I think most people are aware how I
first came into public notice in America
But I don't want any one to think that
this system of mine Is merely for the
manufacture of muscular strength. What
we aim at here is to get the city man,
the society woman. the people who can
not get the right amount and the right
kind of exercise in their daily life, the
tone which they need, and which in
my belief Is half the secret of happiness.
You know well enough the difference
between a man who saunters and lags
and stoops and gets up tired and cares for
nothing in life, and the man who is mas
ter of himself, glad to be alive, straight
backed and taut, and tingling with
vitality. Medical men themselves will
tell you how much of this is simply due
to the healthy circulation that is brought
about by proper exercise and brings
strength and activity to every organ.
"As to the moral point Of view: It Is
one Of the delights Of my life to see
the way in which we manage to brighten
people up. Quite apart from the mere
question Of physical training. there is one
important thing that We appeal to, and
that is vanity. 1 am a tremendous be-
lever 'in vanity I believe 1t can do
more good than half the fsms' In every
cubicle I have a big looking glass Some
how or other. when the slack man sees
himself in that glass, side by side with
the instructor. he cannot help feeling
that in losing the beauty Of manhood he
than the mere bone and muscle. In
up. He gets keen. eager for the day
the glow Of natural pride. And. believe
me. It is hardly ever too late. As for the
young men, Of whom we get hundreds
who have got into slothful habits-often
through mere shyness and aimlessness-
you would be surprised how many we are
able to turn out after little while as
brisk and glad-hearted as any.
Then there is discipline. an enormous
ly important factor. II lie curious how
many cases Of nervous complaints among