There are hundreds of commencing positions; but those we have quoted are sufficient as instances. Those of our readers who are interested in this matter, we refer to Dr. Roth's works on the subject, where they will find full descriptions and illustrations of a great variety of positions.

The following movements belong to the first class of free exercises — viz., to those done without the assistance of an

Fig. 17.

Fig. 18.

other person, the body remaining on the same spot. We begin with the movements of the head, which it is imperative should always be done in slow time.

The following are the words of command applicable to such move

ments:

Head forward bend-stretch! (Fig. 17.) The head is held straight, without any twisting of the neck, and must be bent forward until the chin slightly touches the chest, (Fig. 17.) The upper part of the body, and especially the shoulders, must be kept firm. At the order "stretch," the head is raised into the fundamental position. Both the movements are done steadily, and not by jerks. Head backward bend stretch, (Fig. 18.) The head is slowly bent backward, but without twisting; and at the command "stretch," is raised into The head must not remain too long.

Fig. 19.

the previous position.
in the bent position.
Head right, sideways — bend — stretch!

Fig. 20.

Head left, sideways bend stretch! (Fig. 19.) The head is ex actly bent to the designated side; no twisting of face or shoulders, and no raising of the opposite shoulder, or sinking down of the shoulder on the same side, is permitted.

Head right, turn-forward — turn. (Fig. 20.)

Head left, turn-forward— turn. The head is turned horizontally to the

side designated, without the least flexion, if possible, so far that the chin shall be over the shoulder. The shoulders must be kept square in the front line.

CALISTHENICS.

Use of Calisthenics* — Cautions—Necessary Apparatus Dumb-bells Backboards Clubs-Wands The Triangle-The Elastic Cord-Dumb-bell Practice.

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These exercises are carefully accommodated to the delicate organization of the female sex; but in order that our readers may not have any fear with respect to their effect upon the gentler sex, we may remark, that this series of papers have been written under the guidance and supervision of a medical man familiar with such matters, and that the exercises themselves have been conducted by an able and experienced teacher of calisthenics.

It is an admitted physiological fact, that the imperfections in the female form originate, for the most part, in defective *CALISTHENICS is derived from two Greek words, signifying beauty and strength.

tem, and conduce to elegant deportment and symmetry of form. All these exercises are based upon physiological and philo

this principle. Dr. Arnold remarks, that "grace of carriage includes not only a perfect freedom of motion, but also a firmness of step, or steady bearing of the center of gravity over the base. It is usually possessed by those who live in the country, and according to nature, as it is called, taking much and varied exercise. What a contrast is there between the gait of the active mountaineer, rejoicing in the consciousness of perfect nature, and that of the mechanic or shop-keeper, whose confinement to the cell of his trade soon produces in his body a shape and air that corresponds to it."

These exercises, with great propriety, now form part of the

Fig's.3 and 4.

education of the best European seminaries, but unfortunately for the want of a suitable treatise on the subject, have been sadly neglected in our American system of

education. Before commencing the series, we must offer some preliminary cautions: 1st, that they should not be performed after a full meal; 2nd, that there should not be

人

Fig.5

any ligatures, or tight strings,

straps, etc., on any part of the body, but that the clothes should fit easily and loosely; 3rd, that the body should

not be too warmly clothed during the exercises, but that

an additional wrapper should be provided, to cover the body as soon as they are finished, by this means, cold will be avoided; 4th, that

the exercises should generally be performed in a room, in preference to the open air; 5th, that due regard must be paid to the health, age, and strength of the pupils exercised; in fact, to treat them as you would delicate creeping plantsto coax and train, but not to strain them.

Our readers and pupils are requested to consider that all the directions furnished with the illustrations, are issued by the calisthenic tutor, and that they are to be minutely performed by the pupil as laid down. It is necessary to explain this now, in order to prevent repetition.

The first things to be attended to are the cautions we have given above; and then the necessary apparatus-consisting of dumb-bells, backboard, clubs, wands, or poles, triangles, and elastic-cord-must be procured.

The dumb-bells we advise are constructed as follows: To the staff a, (which is made of oak or ash, six inches long, and one and a quarter inches in diameter,) is fixed a hemisphere, b, with a male screw, e; and to this part is attached at both ends another hemisphere, c, fitted with a female screw, so that

when these hemispheres are screwed together, they form a complete sphere, as represented by d, in Fig. 1. The object.

Fig. 6.

of having these hemispheres constructed in the manner we have described, is to admit of their being loaded; and as the total weight of each dumb-bell constructed

upon this principle is only two pounds, it is obvious that the most delicate children can use them. In using these dumbbells, we have usually commenced by loading them with pieces of wood, then with peas, shot, bullets, and sand, according to the age and constitution of the individual; but the heavily weighted ones have never yet been employed for ladies, only for young gentlemen. Of course, after this kind has been used, we recommend, for gentlemen, the ordinary ones, weighted according to age, etc. We mention this, because calisthenic exercises form a very admirable preliminary course to gymnastics.

Backboards should be fitted to the person requiring them, unless they are used for the backboard exercise, in which case they will be as represented in Fig. 2.

When not used

for this exercise, they are fastened to the back and shoulders by means of straps, a, b,

c, d, which pass round the shoulders, and are made to buckle in front. These straps can be lengthened or shortened, by passing them through holes in the board, 9, 9, 9, 9, left for that purpose. The lower part of the

*They can be constructed as light as three-quarters of a pound each, by having the hemispheres of a less diameter, and made of thin brass.