The Code of Health and Longevity

ON ATHLET I C EXfiRCISES. 1 3 5 I Diall briefly make my bbfervations, as follows.— The ohjcB deiii-ed, by die author of this (the principal^ 1 meaifi) a^peairS to be, to learn the method reforted to, in the training of men, horfes, &lc. to extraordinaryfeats of mufcular exertion, and to obtain the opinions of other hieri, on the-i-why, andwherefore,—^-when fuch methods are ufed,—filch, and fuch effcfts fliould be produced. The writerof the pamphlet in queftion, is far better au- quainted vVith the caufes and effe£te produced by air, ex- fercife,and feeding in animal bodies, than the perfons to whom he refers for information, excepting the mecha­ nical part of training, (whichis obtained by practice, by thofe who ufually train men or horfes, or who train them- felves), they poffefs no information whatever; To pro­ cure a kilowledge of the manner "of wajling with the leaft eventual expence to the fylteni, arid to learn the ef­ fect produced upon the mind aild the body during the progrefs, &c I folicited information fromtwo people of this town; the orie,an old jockeyj(nowa training groora)^ and the other^ orie of the firft-rate jockeys of the prefent day : aware of my men, I went on my inquiry with the greatefl caution^ that no offence, by any thing abrupt^ fliould be conceivedi The jockey had read the book : on reqiiefling the favour of his opinion, as to fdme ©f the queflions it contained, I met with uriwilling, furly, indeed rude replies ; in fhbrt, I found both one and the other riiuchindifpofed to affordany information whatever *, and the final refult and artfwer from both was; " That the man who wrote the book, and afked (alias ax*dJ the " queflions might be bl—t—^ed ) let him train himfelf, " and be d—d, if he wanted to know any thing ; from " themhe would know nothing." I mention this, to fhew the defcription of fome of theipeople and their dif- pofitionsj from whom this author expefts^ that we fhould i 4 receive