536 CALLOTECHNICS. 



regarded as his best production. Beethoven composed but one 

 opera, Fidelio. Auber's Massaniello, and Fra Diavolo, and Boiel- 

 dieu's Caliph of Bagdad, and La Dame Blanche, are among the 

 most celebrated operas by the French composers. 



Handel wrote several superior operas ; but they were all eclipsed 

 by his oratorios ; of which the Messiah and the Samson are con- 

 sidered the best. Next to these sacred compositions we would name 

 Haydn's chief oratorios, the Creation, and the Seasons, as among 

 the noblest efforts of musical genius. Beethoven's Mount of Olives, 

 is also a sublime composition, ranking next to the preceding. Lind- 

 painter's Seven Sleepers, is an oratorio of merit, and the last which 

 we have room here to name. The oratorio of David, by Neu- 

 komm ; and that of the Last Judgment, by Spohr ; are also celebrated 

 productions ; though the latter is a subject which we think should 

 have been left to the awful mystery which belongs to it. 



CHAPTER V. 



ARGICS. 



IN the branch of Argics, we comprehend a variety of exercises and 

 amusements, not included in the preceding branches ; particularly 

 Gymnastics, Calisthenics, and Sedentary as well as Active Games 

 and Sports. The name is derived from the Greek, apyta, leisure, or 

 rest ; as the arts here embraced are mostly the employment of leisure 

 hours, devoted to the pursuit of health or amusement. These arts 

 constitute a miscellaneous group, of various tendency : and some 

 discrimination is necessary, in order to separate the baneful from 

 the useful. In general, those amusements which contribute to health, 

 strength, and physical activity, without fostering savage or boisterous 

 passions and habits, are worthy of encouragement ; but those which 

 lead to indolent, effeminate or vicious habits and indulgences, should 

 be carefully proscribed, as deleterious both to individuals and to 

 society. The prevalence of such amusements, in all nations and 

 ages, shows their congeniality to our nature ; but it does not prove 

 that they are indiscriminately useful or praiseworthy. Even the best 

 of them are liable to abuse, when pursued excessively ; and this is 

 one reason, among various others, why their nature and tendency 

 should be understood, and their practice regulated, by those who 

 have the supervision of youth, and the care of public morals. 



The name Gymnastics, was first applied, by the Spartans, to those 

 active exercises in which their youth were trained, for the purpose 

 of making them skilful and hardy in war : and the place of training 

 was called a Gymnasium. From Sparta, this custom was extended 

 to the rest of Greece ; and athletic exercises acquired increased im- 

 portance, in becoming a part of the celebration of the great national 

 games, or festivals ; the Olympic, Pythian, Isthmian, and Nemasan ; 

 held in honour of their gods and heroes. Prizes and honors were 

 awarded to those who excelled at these games, until success became 



