INTRODUCTORY 15 



cannot be healthy without exercise, and unless a 

 man is healthy, he cannot have healthy children. 

 However devoted a man is to books and brain- 

 work, he should not neglect to work his muscles, 

 and he may be certain his brain will be all the 

 clearer for bodily exertion. Why is it that so 

 many clever men beget fools ? The reason is, I 

 believe, that having allowed brain-work to absorb 

 all their time to the detriment of their physical 

 powers, they are unable to transmit a healthy 

 vitality to their children. Of course the same 

 may be said of the muscular man who never uses 

 his brain ; but he, at any rate, will get healthy 

 children, and the brain-power will not be lost, 

 only hid beneath a thicker covering. There is no 

 better or pleasanter form of exercise than riding 

 to fox-hounds or running to foot-beagles : do one 

 or other, but do both if you can. Forgive me 

 for thus launching out and laying down the law, 

 but exercise has ever been my hobby. The 

 breeding of hounds and other animals has been 

 the study of my life, which makes me take an 

 interest in the breeding of the human race. I 

 suppose the main object of recreation is exercise ; 

 but what is of nearly as much importance is that 



