134 DIFFERENT KINDS OF EXERCISE; 



been injured by exertions beyond their strength, 

 and discredit has thus been brought upon the sys- 

 tem. It is certain, indeed, that many of the com- 

 mon gymnastic exercises are fit only for robust and 

 healthy boys, and not at all for improving those who 

 are delicately constituted, and who stand most in 

 need of a well-planned training. It is impossible to 

 enter minutely into this subject at present, but again 

 the general principle comes to our assistance; 

 viz. carefully to avoid great fatigue, and always to 

 adapt the kind, degree, and duration of every gym- 

 nastic exercise, so as to produce the desired results 

 of increased nutrition and strength ; and to remem* 

 ber that the point at which these results are to be 

 obtained is not the same in any two individuals, 

 and can be discovered only by experience and care- 

 ful observation. 



For giving strength to the chest, fencing is a good 

 exercise for boys, but the above limit ought never 

 to be exceeded, as it often is, by measuring the 

 length of a lesson by the hour-hand of a clock, in- 

 stead of its effects on the constitution. Shuttlecock, 

 as an exercise which calls into play the muscles of 

 the chest, trunk, and arms, is also very beneficial, 

 and would be still more so were it transferred to the 

 open air. After a little practice, it can be played 

 with the left as easily as with the right hand, and 

 is, therefore, very useful in preventing curvature, 

 and giving vigour to the spine in females. The 

 play called the graces is also well adapted for ex- 

 panding the chest, and giving strength to the mus- 

 cles of the back, and has the advantage of being 

 practicable in the open air. 



Dumb-bells are less in repute than they were some 

 years ago, but when they are not too heavy, and the 

 various movements gone through are not too eccen- 

 tric or difficult, they are very useful. They do 

 harm occasionally, from their weight being disprp- 

 portioned to the weak frames which use them ; in 



