238 MENTAL AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE. 



already explained, show, most decidedly, that continued 

 corporeal exertions may be maintained under the stimulus 

 of the mind, which the same individual could not possibly 

 sustain under coercion. 



. 753. We see the exercise of this principle every day. 

 A boy with his kite or gun, will exert all the powers of 

 his muscles for five or six hours, or even for the> whole 

 day, and still hardly complain of or feel fatigued ; while 

 the same amount of muscular power exerted against his 

 will, could not possibly have been sustained, though his 

 life might depend on the performance. 



754. Dr. Darwin 9 s Case. A case mentioned by Dr. 

 Darwin, illustrates our subject. A young man full of de- 

 sire to see his female friend, who was fifty-five miles from 

 him, decided to undertake the journey on foot the next 

 day ; and which, under the stimulus of hope and expecta- 

 tion, he performed without difficulty. Having arrived at 

 her residence, he found that she was attending a ball in 

 the vicinity, to which place of course he repaired without 

 delay. Here were new causes of excitement ; the object 

 of all his thoughts he now saw dressed in gay attire ; the 

 music, the friends, the dance, all tended to make him for- 

 get his long journey ; and, as though fresh from the neigh- 

 borhood, he joined in the pleasures of the evening, and 

 danced most of the night with his wonted vigor and vi- 

 vacity, and all this without fatigue. 



755. Now had this performance been commenced by 

 compulsion, that is, had this person been made to take the 

 same number of steps at the command of a master, and 

 then in the ball-room had he been compelled by the whip 

 to use the same gestures that he did with his lady, at the 

 sound of the music, what think you would have been the 

 consequence ? Undoubtedly he would have sunk down 

 and died from exhaustion, under such treatment. 



756. In armies, it is well known that long marches 

 can be endured under the excitement of music ; while 

 without this, many of the soldiers would be unable to per- 

 form the duty required, and would be left behind even in 

 the country of the enemy. In forced marches, therefore, 

 the commander who understands this, divides his mu- 



