equilibrium in exercise is so strikingly noticeable in the
limbs themselves, how much worse it must be all through the less
prominent muscles! To guide the body in trapeze work, every
well-trained acrobat knows he must have a quiet mind, a clear head, and
obedient muscles. I recall a woman who stands high in gymnastic work,
whose agility on the triple bars is excellent, but the nervous strain
shown in the drawn lines of her face before she begins, leaves one who
studies her carefully always in doubt as to whether she will not get
confused before her difficult performance is over, and break her neck
in consequence. A realization also of the unnecessary nervous force she
is using, detracts greatly from the pleasure in watching her
performance.

If we were more generally sensitive to misdirected nervous power, this
interesting gymnast, with many others, would lose no time in learning a
more quiet and naturally economical guidance of her muscles, and
gymnasium work would not be, as Dr. Checkley very justly calls it,
"more often a straining than a training."

To aim a gun and hit the mark, a quiet control of the muscles is
necessary. If the purpose of our actions were as well defined as the
bull's eye of a target, what wonderful power in the use of our muscles
we might very soon obtain! But the precision and ease in an average
motion comes so far short of its possibility, that if the same
carelessness were taken as a matter of course in shooting practice, the
side of a barn should be an average target.

Gymnasium work for women would be grand in its wholesome influence, if
only they might learn the proper _use_ of the body while they are
working for its development. And no gymnasium will be complete and
satisfactory in its results until the leader arranges separate classes
for training in economy of force and rhythmic motion. In order to
establish a true physical balance the training of the nerves should
receive as much attention as the training of the muscles. The more we
misuse our nervous force, the worse the expenditure will be as muscular
power increases; I cannot waste so much force on a poorly developed
muscle as on one that is well developed. This does not by any means
argue against the development of muscle; it argues for its proper use.
Where is the good of an exquisitely formed machine, if it is to be
shattered for want of control of the motive power?

It would of course be equally harmful to train the guiding