228 MENTAL AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE. 



person, and is accounted for in the popular way, by the 

 common observation, that " if we do not employ our 

 muscles, they will lose their strength/' which indeed ac- 

 counts for the fact, but not for its cause. The cause ap- 

 pears to be, that the action of a muscular part, excites the 

 blood-vessels to throw into it a greater portion of their 

 contents than they otherwise would, so that such parts are 

 better nourished than those that remain inactive. Thus 

 the arm with which a blacksmith uses his hammer, whether 

 the right or left, is by far more powerful than the other. 

 The muscles of this limb are also larger than those of the 

 other, and are much more tense and rigid to the touch a 

 positive proof of the tendency of muscular motion to pro- 

 duce strength and vigor. 



714. The Roman gladiators understood, practically, the 

 great advantages of employing their muscles, in order to 

 gain the most perfect use of their limbs, together with the 

 utmost physical power. Hence they put forth continued 

 exertions in walking and other exercises, and performed 

 feats of strength, which, in the present age, would appear 

 incredible. 



715. In more modern times, men have occasionally ap- 

 peared, who, from the size and condition of their muscles, 

 were capable of exerting degrees of strength w 7 hich as- 

 tonished every beholder. Sir David Brewster, in his 

 " Natural Magic," has collected and stated a number of 

 instances of this kind. 



716. Thomas Topham. One of the most powerful men 

 of modern times, was the famous Thomas Topham, of 

 whom many ludicrous anecdotes, illustrative of his enor- 

 mous muscular. strength; are related; such as the rolling 

 up of pewter dishes with his hands, as others tip sheets of 

 pasteboard ; crushing the bowls of tobacco-pipes, by the 

 lateral pressure of the fingers of one hand, &c. He took 

 an iron kitchen-poker, .a yard long and three inches in 

 circumference, or an inch in diameter, and holding it 

 in his right hand, struck it upon his bare left arm, be- 

 tween the elbow and the wrist, until he bent the iron 

 nearly to right angles. He took another poker, and 

 holding the ends of it in his hands, put the middle over 

 his neck, and then brought the two ends together before 



