Scientific Athletics

ome years have lap ed ince athletic were stimu– lated in Britain through the promulgation of a most reliable treati e entitled Scottish ports: and How to Excel in Them, of which Mr. J. J. l\1illar, of Alloa, wa the author. Thi publication wa certainly a ucces , but owing to it low pri it treated th ubject at rio great length. Th d ir to reviv and further enlarge these ubject is, I hold, a laudable on , and the best way in which thi can be done is to circulate similar publication with original information acquired by intuition and pra ti al xperienc . nlike many oth r kind of sport, athletics proper have not r ceiv d ev n a modicum of the attention due to them. H nc tho e aspirant who may be unaware of r liable athleti publications ar , apart from any incitement accorded them by their unskilled a sociate., destitute of g nuine nlightenm nt. A to the utility of athletics in gen ral, it must be remembered that athl tics constitut on of the most important ba s of any national pow r. Apart from th Duke of \\' llington' '"'ell-known t stimony, th fact ha been prov cl on many oc asions, especially vh n healthy nations w re involved in a crisis. Thus the Yalue of athl tics should be uniYer ally regarded as a con ideration which affect all nations. Indeed, a.part from its indi pen ability, athletici m is peculiarly in tructiv and ent rtaining to a p opl at large, o that the perusal of this work houlcl both edify and enliven the ontemplativ and unbia ed reader. Let u. now consider the following points:- I. From the experience of our prog nitors we may learn, by a train of judiciou rcfl ction , important le on which cannot be over-inculcated, and whi h invariably nhanc our knowledge in many direction and r gulate our deportment in lif , especially in regard to th acquisition of health and strength, rational njoym nt, ·elf-command, and the practice of virtue. 10