Instructions in All Kinds of Gymnastic Exercises (extract)

6 breast thrown well forward, and square to the front; and the stomachdrawn in a little, but not so much as to prevent a free breath­ ing. The shoulders must be drawn back, andkept at an equalheight. The arms must have a gentle, but perfectly free and natural motion by the side of the body. The head should be very upright, but without any stiffness; and ought to have a free motion fromright to left, or upwardsand downwards, as occasion may require, without causing any material alteration in the position of the body. The knees must neither bend too much, nor appear stiff. The toes must be turnedout so as to form about half a right angle with the direction-line in which the personis walking ; and great care should be taken not to throw them upwards, but to keep the sole of the foot at the concluding part of the step, nearly parallel with the ground. The weight of the body shouldrest more upon the balls of the toes than upon the heels; by which means the whole posi­ tion is rendered firm.