Year: 1859




It is we'll understood that the gener-
al health of cities is due to the custom
of constant walking, which prevails
among the residents of crowded towns.
This compensates for the want Of fresh
and free air Itis certain that city la
dies walk much more than their country
friends. The latter, when they can
command a horse, think amile's walk a
great undertaking. Ladies in the cOun-
try hesitate about venturing abroad on
foot; and they remain within doors, on
in quiet inaction, while the city danes,
who are presumed to be delicate" and
unable to endure fatigue walk miles
over the pavements, without thinking
Of the ezertion. Visitors to the city
from the country ore worn out by a
days shopping, while their city guides
are apparently as fresh at the close as
in the beginning Of the days work.


Walking is the most natural, useful
and through exercise that can be taken
Infantry, in any army, can out-march
the mounted men A proof of the su-
periority Of the biped over the qUadru-
ped, is given in The result Of a recent
wager A man undertaking to walk
from New York to Cincinnati in eigh-
teen days, and accomplished the task,
with nine hours to spare. The person
with whom the bet was made acoOmpa-
MED him, in a carriage, and the pedes-
trian at the end Of the journey, was in
better condition than the horse or his
driver This accUrds with all expert
ence. The human frame becomes en-
urcd to wholesome aud proper exertion,
and the biped gains strength under it,
in a greater degree than any quad
ruped. We have no objection to dumb


bells, and other poraphrernelia Of the
gymnasium. But none ofthese contri-
vuuces are half as beneficial as the use
Of our natural means Of locomotion.


The people Of this republic have the
largest continent in the world to travel
over, aud are, as a nation, the greatest
travellers But while the rail, the river
and the horse carriage are all used to
the utmost, we walk less than any civil
| lied people under the sun. A man, no
matter how much his leisure, or how
great his need of economy, would be
/ thought very poor, or next 30 insane,
who should use his feet for a journey
/ lie would, at the very least, be set down
as eccentric or a humorist Where
time is valuable, or strength is to be
husbanded for active employment, it is
well to take advantage Of public convey
ances. But if Americans would pre-


scribe to themselves what John Bull


calls his constitutional walk, we


should gain in strength Of muscle, and
! Danish or diminish the common com
| plant, dyspepsia. Athletic games are


well in their way, but one cannot always
/ get up cricket or rowing match. The
consent of others is required, whereas, to
| walk briskly and habitually, it needs
/ only that We overcome our own inertia,


and disabuse ourselves Of the notion


that a horses legs are better than a


mans.


No motion calls more Of the muscles


into healthy play than walking-not
| gliding like a ghost, with arms motion


less, but pushing along, with a hearty,


spring swing. Nothing more exhiler-


utes the whole man than a current Of


air created by his own brisk movements
If this cxcrc Sc, so conducive to health


and so readily taken, were more in fash


ion and in favor, we might meet the doc


tors with an independent air, and as to
the nOstrum mongers, starve them into


taking up some more useful VOCATION
i Philadelphia Gazette,