The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland

138 ATHLETIC SPORTS OF SCOTLAND. The powersof the engineare wasted not in performing useful work, but inresisting the tendency to burst, which if it does not do, it is left overstrained and weakened, incapable of ever stand­ ing severe workagain. Training of itself brings a man into a state of perfect health. So long as he continues in training so long will he be as healthy as possible, and as happy asgood health can make him. It as absurd to say that training under­ mines thehealth andshortens life because an athlete ceases to train, and livesa life totally opposedto his life while in training, as it would be to say that temperance is prejudicial to healthand longevity because some men, after living a temperate life for a time, break out into habitual drunkards. Such aresult some­ times happens, but there is no necessity that it should happen. In fact, those whowant to lead healthy andhappy lives mustin a measure be inpartial training throughout life. The attention to diet, to exercise, to bathing, and keeping the pores of the skin open, which form the essential parts of training, are as necessary to the ordinary man ofbusiness and those engaged in sedentary occupations as to the professional athlete.In theone case, it fits men for going through their daily workwith com­ parative ease and comfort; in the other, it enables those who are exceptionally endowed by nature physically to show what the humanbody is capable of performing. THE END.

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