Human Physiology. 22$ 



CHAPTER VIII. 



LAWS OF THE BODILY LIFE. 



The Law of Exercise Effects of Training Musical and Artistic Natural. 

 Talent Early Training Effects of Bodily Exercise Laziness the 

 Curse of Childhood Boys and Girls the Law of Habit Physical 

 Habits Moral and Religious Habits Moral Responsibility. 



CERTAIN laws, or modes of being and doing, form the basis of 

 bodily health, development, and training, or physical education. 

 The distinction between physical and mental education is not 

 a very clear one, since the mind has something, if not every- 

 thing, to do with all the voluntary actions of the body. 



The first of these laws is that of exercise. Every organ of 

 voluntary motion intended for constant or frequent use, is 

 strengthened by use. Every such organ which is not used loses 

 its power. The right arm and hand are generally stronger than 

 the left. The arm of an oarsman or blacksmith becomes very 

 strong and brawny; the arms of dancers are thin and weak. 

 All muscles gain in size and tone by use; those unused become 

 soft and weak. The same is true of nerves, alike of motion and 

 sensation. Every sense increases in power and acuteness by exer- 

 cise. Every sense is wonderfully educable. All our talents and 

 faculties are subject to this law. Regular use, or frequent 

 exercise, invigorates and increases their power, and a strong 

 argument in favour of the fundamental principles of Phrenology 

 is found in the fact, that the head actually increases in size 

 when various faculties of the mind are brought into vigorous 

 action in the process of education. The law has no exception 

 in any portion of the voluntary system intended for constant 

 use. From bone to nerve or brain, exercise increases the force 

 and strength exercise is the condition of health. 



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