The Nerves. 63 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE NERVES. 



WE will now suppose that you are, physi- 

 cally speaking, a perfect horseman. In other 

 words, you can ride your horse, so long as he 

 is willing to obey you, precisely as he ought 

 to be ridden. Even so you are, physically 

 speaking, a consummate swordsman when 

 you can defend yourself so as never to be hit 

 with the foils. But as the champion of the 

 fencing-school sometimes forgets his science 

 when first he sees the point of a rapier pre- 

 sented at his body, so the model of the manege 

 is sometimes startled into awkwardness when 

 first he feels beneath him the plunge and rush 

 of an angry or frightened thoroughbred. In 

 both cases, we know, the novice has within 

 him the means required for safety ; but in 

 neither is he sure of retaining his presence of 

 mind so as to be able to use them. 



If you take my advice, you will not leave 



