The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-07

startling announcement that she could
turn a handspring in her evening frock.
The Ambassador raised incredulous
eyebrows and in answer the lady asked
the circle Of listeners to move back
little 80 as to afford her space. This was
done and to the establishment OF all,
particularly of the Ambassador, the
lady came Looping gracefully through the
vacated lane in the manner mentioned
Mrs Roger Watts-Diana Wits, as
she signs herself-does not deny this
Impeachment. but stirs a cup Of tea
meditatively when the question is put.
After you have heard her talk and have
read her book, which has just been pub
lished by the Frederick A. Stokes Com
pany, you believe unhesitatingly that If
she did not do a handspring in a ball
room It was not because she could not.
Mrs. watts's contribution to the
present interest in all subjects which
directly or indirectly concern the con-
troll and training Of the body, either in
the dance or in various exercises listed
as gymnastics, Is a volume of some 1Si
titled The Renaissance of the Greek
Ideal"
The writer accompanied her proof
sheets to America and in the interim
of their publication has lectured al
various functions. notably at the Booth
Theatre. where she recently spoke on
her llfe's work. She has been guest
at several Of the best known womcn's
clubs.
The several chapters of the book are
entitled Comparative Analysis of the
Ancient Greek Development and That
of the Modern Human Being: THE
Essential Training of the Foot as Base;
Definition Of Tension; Fundamental
Principles of Movement: THE Appli-
cation Of Mathematics to Human Move
ment'; sculpture and Laws of
Balance" Mental and Spiritual Reac-
lions" The last seventy pages are de-
voted to a detailed explanation Of the
twelve basic exercises which. says Mrs.
Watts, 81 selected specially for the pur-
pose Of making quite clear the funda-
mental principles of movement in
general and of balance under tension in
particular; so that when this knowledge
has been acquired by practice all the
everyday movements of life afford COM
plete exercise in themselves.
"As far as possible the basic exercises
should he pract.sed three or four times
q week. Personally I do some of them
[ fnr
for the sake of the added llghtness and
exhlaratinn which they always bring
But | make no rule for others. For
those who have had the energy and
determination to work Systematically
through the whole series of twelve
exercises I may safely leave the regula-
ton OF further practice knowing that
the power and fascination of the exer-
cises themselves will exert their own
influence when once they have formed
part of the daily routine during a whole
year."
Quoting Socrates to the effect that
"No citizen las a right to be an amateur
in the matter Of physical training"
Mrs Watts explains her book by saying
that it elucidates a principle based on
the fact that humanity Possesses the
latent power to rise
Its object Is to awaken the man
and woman of to-day to the proved
knowledge that the training of the will,
on which depends the perfect control of
self, Is a science that may be acquired
by all to a greater or lesser degree
according to the desire to attain-a
science definite and clear based on
mathematical laws applied to human
movement"
1t Is In chapter v, where this prin-
ciple Is explained that the student will
find most of interest. Here Mrs. Watts
gives comprehensive explanation of
the application of mathema teal laws to
human movement, showing that under
perfect conditions Of balance the human
being may achieve in movement the
accuracy Of compass and the limbs
may become capable Of describing the
most complicated geometrical designs.
Mrs. Watts says: The force which
governs my geometrical movements Is
that which makes the trees grow up
ward and which holds the stars in the
armament. BY placing the
human being in a condition whereby
he Is brought into stride. as II were,
with the universal law of Rhythm and
harmony, through equilibrium, he Is
enabled through his finer and more
sensitive physical development (Which
comes as "A natural result of obedience
to essential law to get into direct con-
nection with vital force itself and share
IN far reaching reactions which find no
limit in the physical world; while at
the same time the physical expression
Of this vital force IL made visible
through movement. which Is able To
demonstrate the immediate relation be-
tween the two, and which, so far as !
have been able to prove. operates solely
In the vertical plane
"All movement. then. which Is geo.
metrical is bound by mathematical law
The difference between necessarily re-
lated and arbitrary changes of move
ment Is that the first are inevitable and
interdependent while the second are the
expression of an individual will, subjected
to alteration at random. The two types
OF movement may be compared In the
case OF arbitrary change to freehand
drawing, while that bound by mathe-
NAUTICAL law represents geometry, which
when repeated time after time under the
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