File:The mirror of the world (1889) (14785702123).jpg

Identifier: mirrorofworld00uzan (find matches)
Title: The mirror of the world
Year: 1889 (1880s)
Authors: Uzanne, Octave, 1852-1931 Avril, Paul, b. 1843, ill
Subjects: Manners and customs
Publisher: London : J.C. Nimmo
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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rt, which, to speak the truth, does not greatly attract us. Each division of sport has in Paris its centre, its special estab-Hshment, its club, its school, its regulations and its statutes, but THE MIRROR OF THE WORLD. ^-•vv,. even if eveiy theory were taught there, and every practical science could he acquired, it is quite clear that sport in France is only an exception, and prohably will never become acclimatised. What, above all, charms the French in sports, is not so much their precision, or the physical benefits derived from them, but rather the showing off, the vivacity, the dash, and daring ; they the sooner give themselves , .;•..;, up to them the more they allow them to exhibit themselves in public ; for, in the circus of their vanities, they like to jump through hoops, to do the amiable, and to receive a flattering applause, which stimulates and rewards their efforts and emulation. On the other hand, it cannotbe disputed that physical exer-cise and violent and permanent
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SPORTS. training is detrimental to the intellect ; sport ought only to be amere derivative, otherwise it absorbs all the grey matter of ourbrain. If we have not to choose between spiritual and physicalculture, we ought at least to grant priority to one of them. Lifeis so lamentably limited that we should merely be allowed to hyper-trophiate by excessive practice some muscles of the body, or onlyone brain-cell.—A fencer will not box, for it might damage hisdelicate skill ; a horsey man will only go boating to amuse him-self; a tennis-player will take care not to handle heavy weights,so as not to spoil his agility ; and a wrestler will only devote tothe ladies his spare time. Whatever we may do, our vital essencehas only one issue ; we may waste it away in idle dreams, in artisticexpression, in our being haunted by one idea, or in physical fatigue,we shall never succeed in spending it gloriously or nobly Avithoutour employing it for a special purpose.—We must exclusivelybecome wedde

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