374 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION. 



might frequently happen in fo dangerous an 

 exercife. 



\X. IVrcftling is an encounter by two men 

 without weapons, in order to try their ftrength, 

 and to endeavour to throw each other on the 

 Around. This was a famous exercife among the 

 ancients, and we Hill fee the cruel and difguft- 

 ful remains of it among the Englifh. But this 

 exercife is fo violent, fo dangerous and repug- 

 nant to humanity, that far from exhorting youth 

 to the practice of it, we cannot but endeavour 

 to infpire them with an averfion to it. A vyreft- 

 ler by profefiion, and a fpectator who is pleafed 

 with fuch encounters, are commonly two per- 

 fons equally defpicable. 



XXI. The art of fwimmwg \ or the method 

 of fuftaining the body on the water by the mo- 

 tions of the arms and the legs, and by proper- 

 ly holding the breath. This exercife is alfo 

 very dangerous, but at the fame time very health- 

 ful, feeing that it unites the advantages of a bath 

 with thofe of exercife : it is, moreover, very 

 ufeful as it may fometimes fave the life or ho- 

 nour of a man. Pieces of cork or bladders may 

 afTift thole who are learning to fwim, but thefe 

 are weak fecurities, and en which, therefore, 

 much dependence ought not to be placed. A 

 boat near at hand, and an able fwimmer by his 

 fide, afford the learner of this exercife the beft 

 fecurities, and the mod confidence where, there 



is 



