208 ON SPORTS AND EXEHCISEB. 



Mere strength wlio excelled in their public exhibition. If man were 

 or animal cou- only destined to conquer and triumph over the weaker 

 cd by ferocity.' ^^i^id less valiant of his race — if the lust of dominion were 

 the only appetite worthy of gratification, then the culti- 

 vation of bodily prowess and ferocious courage would 

 properly form the business, as well as pleasure of life. 

 But man has a nobler part to act in society ; and enjoy- 

 ments more pure, lasting, and better fitted to the dignity 

 and character of his nature, become necessary to his well 

 being in an advanced stage of civilization. It may rea- 

 dily be conceived, that those arts which sooth and em- 

 bellish human existence, and which depend on the culti- 

 vation of feeling and of taste, would be neglected by the 

 Greeks, when only bodily strength, activity, and address 

 could carry off the palm of victory. In the distracted 

 state of the first settlers in Greece, when the bodily ener- 

 gies were constantly in action, courage and personal 

 strength decided the day in most of their military con- 

 flicts. Hence courage became associated with every idea 

 of patriotism, honour, and virtue. It is the opinion of 

 Mcnwho have Aristotle, " That the nations, most attentive to the 

 strength and formation of the body, strive to give it too athletic a 

 Ardour will not habit, which injures the beauty of the shape, and stints 

 e good 801- the growth of the person. The Lacedemonians avoid 

 this error; yet, by imposing excessive labour on the body, 

 they engender ferocity in the mind, thinking this con- 

 ducive to martial spirit. But mere warlike courage, 

 taken separately by itself, is a doubtful and defective 

 quality, and, cultivated too assiduously by the hardening 

 discipline of toils and struggles, will degrade and debase 

 the 7nan, blunt his faculties, narrow his soul, and render 

 him as bad a soldier as he is a contemptible citizen*." 

 This necessity of rendering the gymnastic art subservient 

 to nobler pursuits, was felt and acted upon by the Athe- 

 nians, and other polished states of Greece. 

 The Greeks "^^^^ cultivation of poetry and music was encouraged 



cultivated poe- by bestowing the highest honours and rewards on those 



try and music ^,j^^ excelled in these del ighful arts at the celebration of 



as part of , ^ 



th?ir public all the public games. 1 o such a happy combination of 



jaracs. 



» Gllli^s's Aristot. polit, p. jjo. 



mental 



