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SWIMMING AND BATHING.

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meal, which is particularly unwholesome. On entering the water, their father is careful that they shall plunge in head foremost, so as to wet their heads first, and never allows

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them to remain in too long; but desires them to come out of the water directly they feel either tired, chilly, or numbed." "One thing which has led to my boys becoming fearless swimmers is, that I never compelled them to enter the water reluctantly at first," said Mr. Warden; "they were allowed full time to become well acquainted with the nature of the element itself, and with the best means of exerting the powers that nature had endowed them with for mastery over the difficulties it presents. They were taught to feel a certain degree of confidence in the natural buoyancy of the human body, which will not sink readily when the lungs are unfilled by water, and to place still stronger reliance upon the right use of their own body and

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limbs. In order to become thoroughly versed in this latter, they first practised the proper attitude, and the correct position and action of the hands and feet."

"And what is the proper attitude, William ?" enquired Mr. Singleton.

"I throw my head well back," replied he, "hold my chin as high as I can, thrust out my chest prominently, and keep my back as hollow and as steady as I possibly can."

"Well, now for the position of your hands."

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"You keep your fingers close together, and your thumbs close to them, and make your hands into a good shape for holding as much water as you can," said little George, as I do when Mamma is going to give me a handful of almonds and raisins."

"Bravo, George!" said Mr. Singleton; said Mr. Singleton; "and what do you do with your hands when they are made into this "good shape?""

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Why, you put them just in front of your chest, letting your wrists touch it, the tips of your fingers rather raised, and pointing forward; then you strike your arms straight out before you as far as you can reach, and then sweep them out on each side on a level with your body, keeping the outer edge of the hand rather more raised than the inner one."

"Very well, George," said his father; "now how do you bring your arms up ready for the next stroke?

"You draw them closer to your sides, poking your bent elbows up, and hanging your wrists down so as to let your hands dangle, before you place them in the position you began with."

"And how about the feet and legs?" asked Mr. Singleton.

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"We keep our knees inclined inward, and the soles of our feet outward, as we draw up our legs," answered William; "when we throw them out, it is to their utmost extent, and as widely apart as possible, bringing them down briskly until they are close together and ready to be drawn up, as before."

"You should not forget to say that the arms and legs ought to act alternately," said his father; "the arms rising while the legs are descending; and that, in order to swim well, and with uninterrupted onward progress, this alternate action cannot be too much attended to. Also that the motion of the arms should be smooth and easy; that the best time for taking breath is while the arms are sweeping outwards, and the best for letting the breath forth, the moment when the body is sent forward by the action of the legs."

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Shakespeare has given us a picture of a fine swimmer in a few lines," said Mr. Singleton :

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""I saw him beat the surges under him,

And ride upon their backs; he trod the water,
Whose enmity he flung aside, and breasted

The surge most swol❜n that met him; his bold head
'Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oar'd
Himself with his good arms in hasty stroke

To the shore, that o'er his wave-worn basis bow'd,
As stooping to relieve him.""

"I wish you could come down to stay with us in the winter-time, Sir," said little George to Mr. Singleton, "we have such fine fun on the ice! such capital slides! I can manage those pretty well already, but this next winter I am to learn to skate, and that I shall enjoy!"

"Well, you mustn't mind a tumble or two, then, Georgy," said little Mary, "for I remember when William first learned to skate, he had several that I think must have

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hurt him very much, though he was too manly to cry or show that he cared about them."

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'Cry! I should think not! said George; "but I mean to try to be too manly also to show I care anything for bumps and bruises and falls."

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"What kind of skates do you approve of?" asked Mr. Singleton of Mr. Warden.

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Why, the boys were recommended to use grooved or fluted skates at first," answered he, as being considered better calculated to give their light weight some hold on the ice but I don't like them, their sharp edges cut too easily into the ice, and so prevent your executing any figures in them; besides that the grooves are liable to collect the loose cuttings of ice, which accumulate till they raise you from the edge of the skate, and endanger your being thrown down. The irons should be about threequarters of an inch in height, and a quarter of an inch

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thick, made of good steel, well secured to the wooden portion of the skate, which should be slightly hollowed, to adapt itself to the ball of the foot; the skate should fit well the boot or shoe you wear, to which it should be firmly secured by means of the peg or screw towards the heel, and by the cross straps over the toe and instep, and the heel straps."

"I am always careful to leave my great coat at home," said Mr. Singleton, "when I skate on the Serpentine; and supply its place by extra under-wrappings of flannel, as I think long coat tails are apt to be in the way, and entangle you in passing others."

"A very good precaution," said Mr. Warden, "and also all unnecessary action with the arms is well avoided, raising them easily and alternately with the rising and falling of each leg in striking the ice at every new progression."

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'I am to be William's pupil," said George, as he already skates very well, Papa says. I almost wish winter were here now, I do so long to begin my lessons. William says I am not to have a stick at all, but that he will lead me at first, as it is far safer, and that I shall the sooner learn to trust to my own balance, and find out whereabouts the edge of my skate is. He says I must not allow my feet to get too far apart, and mind and try to keep my heels the nearest together; but I fancy they'll insist on going their own way at first."

"Slowly and steadily, Georgy," said Mr. Singleton; "the Italians have a proverb, 'chi va piano, va sano,' which means, 'he who goes softly, goes safely;' so you mustn't get impatient if you find you can't do all you could wish at first; skating, like everything else, wants attention and perseverance. You must take care and do nothing in a hurry on the ice; you must be bold, but not violent; active, but

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