Athletic Training and Health. By John Harrison. (James Parker.) —Mr.
Harrison, unless we misunderstand him, advocates a distinctly athletic training. He argues, for instance, that the condition to which the pugilist brings himself before a prize-fight is nowise undesirable, does not injure health or impede the intellectual activity. We heartily believe in the advantage of bodily training, but we are convinced, and we have on our side the authority of the ancient world, that athletic discipline, properly so called, is not desirable. Mr. Harrison refers, but in a cursory manner, to ancient opinion. Let him weigh this passage from the Republic of Plato. Plato, he will know, was no narrow-cheated, puny student, nor in any way disposed to undervalue corporeal strength and vigour. He is speaking of the habit of body which would be suit- able to the military caste. "Would the habit of the professional athlete suit them ?" "Possibly." "But it is a sleepy habit, and perilous in point of health. Do you not see that they sleep their life away, and that if they transgress their set rule ever so little, these athletes fall into great and grievous sickness? We want, then, some lighter (x0140riPttg) training," &c. With this reservation we can give very sincere praise to this little treatise as a sensible practical book. There is abundance of good advice in it and those who will take it cum grano will find it very useful.
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