MIND AND BODY-EXERCISE AND

EXCELLENCE.

ALL matter more or less continuously engaged

in movement, or in what is termed "vital

action," sooner or later undergoes definite changes, in fact wears out. Nevertheless, everything is better for use or exercise. And this is true of all human actions, whether of body or mind. The deterioration of machinery when it has not been in motion for a considerable period is a familiar illustration of the baneful effects of disuse. And any structure or machine specially designed for the purpose of movement or action speedily gets out of order when, from any cause whatsoever, it is rendered motionless or inactive.

In the human body, then, no matter what the organ or tissue, use or exercise begets growth, development, and power; disuse or the want of exercise, wasting, degeneration, and weakness. Hence, it might be reasonably expected that a constant and judicious use of the cells, fibres, &c., collectively involved in the expression of feeling, thought, and will, would promote tissue

growth and mental development; conversely, if the same structures were permitted to remain in a permanent state of inactivity, or of sluggish action unduly prolonged, it would, theoretically, result in obtuse feelings, intellectual degradation, and an enfeebled, vacillating will. And this is strictly in accordance with experience.

It is necessary to bear in mind that use is a totally different thing from abuse, or excessive or injudicious use. And this is the explanation of some of those evils which are alleged to occur in connection with systematic exercises. A bridge built expressly to support a weight of 200 tons or thereabouts, could not be expected to bear five times that amount without some indications of incompetency or failure. It would, in all probability, at some time or other fall with a sudden crash, or sink and totter until it was absolutely unfit to fulfil the original intention of the architect.

But to proceed with a few illustrations :

(1) Muscles. Regular exercise short of overfatigue promotes growth, facility, as well as accuracy of movement, and power, of which the strong arm of the blacksmith and the generally well-developed and active muscles of

The

the gymnast furnish good examples. complicated movements of the acrobat are executed with the greatest difficulty at first, even when commenced, as they usually are, during childhood. By degrees, after tremendous repetition, they become more elegant and perfect, until at last they are practically automatic, that is to say, performed almost independently of the intellect. And thus it is with the accomplished pianist or violinist.

The wasting, degeneration, and weakness resulting from an inactive condition may be frequently observed in the muscles of a limb when from any cause they remain for a lengthened period practically motionless.

(2) Organs. When double, the destruction or inefficiency of one throws more work on the other, and the latter becomes enlarged in consequence. There is no doubt that movements which necessarily accompany a more energetic action of the lungs produce development of those organs and expansion of the chest. Hence it is that all properly regulated exercises, involving increased action of the respiratory muscles, are of great importance. And they are especially valuable when the chest is narrow, and its

capacity smaller than natural. The development of one lung is very marked when the other is comparatively useless, and the same observation is quite as applicable to all double organs.

(3) Senses. The loss or absence of one sense increases the acuteness of some one or more of those remaining intact, because they are exercised more frequently, and with greater attention and accuracy. The acuteness of hearing with which many totally blind people are endowed is familiar to every one. In fact, in a great measure, they walk by hearing not by sight, and their sense of touch is oftentimes truly marvellous.

And further, it is well known that, apart from the loss or absence of any one sense, each faculty may occasionally become educated and developed to an almost unlimited extent. The discriminating ear of the musician, and the delicate touch necessary to execute rapid movements with precisely the requisite amount of force and duration, involve long-continued, patient, and persevering efforts in order to obtain anything like excellence.

Such acuteness of sense can only be acquired for the most part by great practice, and of course the various parts and connections of the

organ in each case must be thoroughly sound. Indeed it is only reasonable to suppose that there is something intrinsically and unusually good about it. Perhaps the size or number of fibres passing to the brain may be larger than usual, or the nervous tissue in the organ itself more extensive, and therefore more susceptible to external impressions.

(4) Mind, including thought, feeling, and will. (a) Thought. In connection with this subject perhaps that most worthy of notice is memory or retentiveness. Some authorities contend that memory implies growth of new branched cells, and possibly further development of old ones. One thing is absolutely certain, that memory may be vastly improved by judicious mental exercises. On the other hand it rapidly deteriorates if not properly cultivated.

(b) Feeling. All kinds of emotion, by frequent repetition, rapidly obtain and occupy a position in the mind from which it is extremely difficult to dislodge them. The emotions of love, grief, anger, fear, &c., only require enumeration in order to prove the accuracy of this statement. For what is the result of constant or frequent yielding to any one of them? An exaggerated