British Manly Exercises

9 THE MODERATE AND THE QUICKPACE. These will be best understood by a reference to the pace which we have just described; the principal dif­ ference between them being as to the partof the foot which first touches and lastleaves the ground, and this beingthe circumstancein themwhich has been altogether overlooked. We have seen that,in the march,the toe externally firsttouches, and internally last leaves theground; and so markedis this tendency, that, in the stagestep, which is meant to be especially dignified,—as the posteriorfoot acquires an awkwardflexure when the weight has been thrown on the anterior,—in orderto correctthis, the for­ mer is for an instant extended, its toe even turned backwards and outwards, and its tip internally alone restedon the ground, previous to its being in its turnad­ vanced.—Thusthetoe'sfirst touching and last leaving the ground, is peculiarlymarkedin this grandestform of the march. We shall find, that the times of the other two paces suffersuccessively less and less of this extendedtouching with thetoe, and covering the ground with the foot. THE MODERATE PACE. Here, it is no longer the toe, but the ball of the foot, whichfirst touches and lastleaves the ground; its outer edge or the ball of thelittle toe first breakingthe descent of the foot, and its inneredge or the ball of the greattoe lastprojecting the weight.—(Plate I. Figures 3 and 4.)