12 HORSE-BACK RIDIXG. 



has begun by an expiration of the celestial world into 

 the terrestrial ; as mysteriously it ends ! The in- 

 dividual life ascends towards its Creator ; the ele- 

 ments, disassociated, dissolve and pass into new com- 

 binations. Nothing dies. 



Developing the body, and when developed, put- 

 ting to their proper use the forces that exist, alone 

 can maintain in a salutary state of activity the trans- 

 formation and renewal of the organic matter, which 

 is the fundamental condition of life. A break in that 

 transformation and renewal may bring on any of the 

 thousand ills that flesh is heir to. 



Full of that truth, physicians have in all ages urged 

 that well-advised corporeal movements were to be 

 considered as an indispensable condition of the pres- 

 ervation, and even, under some circumstances, of 

 the re-establishment of health. 



In order that man may maintain himself in a normal 

 state, that is to say in a state of health, and develop 

 himself in conformity with the destination of his na- 

 ture, a bodily and spiritual activity corresponding to 

 the measure of his individual forces is absolutely 

 necessary. But the entire activity of the body is 

 much more indispensable than that of the mind, as 

 we shall presently see. 



The ensemble of the organic life rests upon an un- 

 ceasing renewal of matter ; upon an elimination of 

 that which has grown old, Avhich the vital act has ren- 

 dered unfit to be made use of ; and upon the assim- 



