What is gymnastics? / By Jakob Bolin.

  • Bolin, Jakob, 1863-1914.
Date:
1902
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: What is gymnastics? / By Jakob Bolin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the prominent Germans, with the exception of Guts Muths, has definitely expressed an opinion in the matter, I believe we must take for granted that all of them sub- scribe to Ling’s assertion, and endeavor to do nothing which is not according to their opinion needed by the organism. Guts Muths expressed himself rather strongly in the matter: “Therefore it is no more out of place to warn against too multifarious exercises than to warn against the multiplying of subjects in the common school. Nearly as limitless and numberless as are the mental exercises are those of the body, but wishing to learn everything is folly, and wishing to practise every- thing is the same.” * Thus in principle Swedes and Ger- mans again meet upon the same platform; again they are as one in their purposes. That they go different ways to gain their objects; that they, if we judge from their practices, have different views with regard to what does and what does not correspond with the needs of the organism, does not by any means invalidate this state- ment. It is always best, before entering into a discus- sion of points at issue, to make clear those to which all agree. And so far, there seems to be, theoretically, at least, full and complete accord between the Swedish and the German systems, if we except the assertions of du Bois Reymond and those who followed his lead in the excitement due to the invasion of Germany by Swedish gymnastics under Rothstein, and, of course, always with the exception of some such in various countries, who, like de Laspée in England, practised movements of eyes, tongue, lips, etc., all of which is no less condemned by the true German gymnasts than by the Swedes.’ ‘és Ps Turnbuch fiir die Sdhne des Vaterlandes. Frankfurt-am-Mayn. 1817. eface. 2. See, for instance, Kross: Katechismus, pp. 95-96.
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