The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland

INTRODUCTION. with individuals, adversity often brings out heir noblestqualities, but few can standprosperity. In the nations whosehistory has been glanced at, when they were fighting their way against great odds, heroes, men great mentally and physically, were plentiful. When they had surmounted their difficulties, andbecome pros­ perous, when incentives to exertion were no longer forced upon them, they degenerated, and their degeneration originated in the luxurious, voluptuous, idle lives led by the very classes who ought to have set the exampleof noble self-denial,and scorn of effeminate self-indulgence. And is not our own country passing through the sameordeal ? Not the ordeal of adversity, but the far more trying one of prosperity. A glance at the subjects which Juvenal satirizes in th Roman State, faithfullypictures forus many of the predominant vices of our own times. But what good effect can a love of athletic sports have on our national character ? How can it check and counteract luxury and profligacy in the upper and wealthy classes ? The goodeffects of athletic sports are that to be a good athlete aman must be temperate in eating anddrink­ ing, keep under control his desire for every pleasure thatends to weaken his physical powers, must be of undoubted courage, generous when victorious, undaunted in defeat. Surely self- denial, courage, perseverance, generosity, and determination to try again and again after defeat, are excellent moral qualities. In short, to practise athletic sports is voluntarily to undergo the self-denial and struggle under difficulties which necessity com­ pels individuals and nations to undergo before they can enjoy prosperity, and the means of making theirmark in the world. The prosperity athletic exercise brings is good health, the means to make a mark in the world, a strong, sound body, without which a strong, soundmind will avail little, even were the one possible without the other. With the bulkof the people leading industrious, temperate, manly lives,and looking with scorn on those living idle, dissolute lives, the wealthy and upper classes would be forced by public opinion to change their mode oflife,