BONES, MUSCLES, EXERCISE AND REST. 293 



purposes of health. By custom and the general opinion of 

 society, boys are thus happily indulged. They are allowed 

 and encouraged to run, jump, and leap, and even to shout. 

 They are consequently in good health, and have great vigor 

 of body and activity of motion. 



-675. But the custom of society and the notions of pro- 

 priety demand a different manner from the girls. They are 

 not permitted to walk with that energy and vigor that their 

 brothers are. There is a great fear of romping. They are 

 required to be staid and quiet, and to confine themselves 

 to walking. They are prohibited from the noisy plays, the 

 bold activity of motion, and that free exercise of the lungs, 

 which strengthen and delight the boys. And while the boys 

 .an and pursue any object of interest through the roads and 

 fields, over rocks and hills, the girls are required to limit 

 their movements to walking on the smooth and level paths 

 which require comparatively little exertion. 



676. A walk of three miles is not frequent for American 

 women ; and, when a lady of a country town of New England 

 walked sixteen tniles at once, in the year 1842, it was con- 

 sidered so extraordinary as to be made the subject of a news- 

 paper article. But in England, a walk of some miles is. an 

 every-day occurrence for women ; and thus they have means 

 of locomotion ever at their command. When an American 

 clergyman was visiting a family in England, it was proposed 

 by the young ladies to visit a friend who lived at the distance 

 of five or six miles. He cheerfully consented, but was sur- 

 prised that no carriage came to the. door. They walked, 

 and spent a part of, a day with their friend. On returning, 

 the ladies proposed to the clergyman that they take another 

 way homeward, which would make a walk of three miles 

 farther, and call on another friend. He consented, and they 

 went this long, and, to him, wearisome w,ay home. The 

 females neither -regarded the walk, nor even seemed to think 

 they had done any thing extraordinary, or out of their usual 

 habit; but the American gentleman was unusually fatigued. 



677. Same other employments give more exercise to the 

 arms and upper part of the frame than walking. Garden* 



25* 



