260 MENTAL AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE. 



817. "Although contraction and relaxation," says the 

 author, " or in other words, exercise of the muscles which 

 support the trunk of the body, are the only means which, 

 according to the Creator's laws, are conducive to muscular 

 development, and by which the bodily strength and vigor 

 can be secured. Instead of promoting such exercise, 

 however, the prevailing system of female education places 

 the muscles of the trunk in particular, under the worst 

 possible circumstances, and renders their exercise nearly 

 impossible. Left to its own weight, the body would fall 

 to the ground, in obedience to the ordinaiy law of gravi- 

 tation; in sitting and standing, therefore, as well as in 

 walking, the position is preserved only by active muscular 

 exertion." 



818. " But if we confine ourselves to one attitude, such 

 as that of sitting erect on a chair or what is still worse, 

 on benches, without backs, as is the common practice in 

 schools it is obvious that we place the muscles which 

 support the spine and trunk, in the very disadvantageous 

 position of permanent, instead of alternate contraction, 

 which, we have seen, is in reality more fatiguing and de- 

 bilitating to them than severe labor." 



819. " Girls thus restrained daily, for many successive 

 hours, invariably suffer being deprived of the sports and 

 exercise after school hours, which strengthen the muscles 

 of boys, and enable them to withstand the oppression. 

 The muscles being enfeebled, they either lean over insen- 

 sibly to one side, and thus contract curvature of the spine, 

 or, their weakness being perceived, they are forthwith 

 cased in stiffer and stronger stays that support being 

 sought for in steel and whalebone, which Nature intended 

 they should obtain from the bones and muscles of their 

 own bodies." 



820. " The patient, rinding the maintenance of an erect 

 carriage (the grand object for which all this suffering is 

 inflicted), thus rendered more easy at first, welcomes 

 the stays, and like her teacher, fancies them highly use- 

 ful. Speedily, however, their effects show them to be 

 the reverse of beneficial. The same want of varied 

 motion, which was the prime cause of the muscular 



