Page:The Atlantic Monthly Volume 9.pdf/113

102 at

to

If

a

I

it

in

I

of

to

great convictions

him act generally

till too late for them; but what accepts he

was not quite true. There was one, and only one, member of the class of '54 who was as small as I. Some consolation,

his favor.

The man who thus halts between con flicting opinions, solicitous give both their due, and see the truth, pure and simple and entire, may miss laying hold is

I

It

puzzle my

hear the Devil spoken self find what can be said

it

stalwart Freshmen on their way to recitation, one of whom had called the other's attention to my hum ble self by this observation, reminding me of a distinction which did not covet.

ill

I saw two

Looking up,

to

I

was crossing one of the paths that in tersect the college green of old Harvard when this remark fell upon my ears.

This disposition cavil received axioms has beset me through life. No sooner does truth present itself than want see on its other side. to

in

on

fellow

to

goes the smallest

SKETCHES OF A STRENGTH SEEKER.

to

“THERE

[January,

a Strength-Seeker.

I

AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL

our class.”

of

Sketches

of

Autobiographical

he

102

holds.

My

my meditations the subject inferior stature led me determination

me feel what

try what gymnastic practice could remedy the defect. For some thirty

do

I

of

at

I

to

in

I

to

up

is

2

of

long list authors, artists, and phi losophers, considerably under medium

height?

Were not Garrick and Kean Booth all under five feet

somewhere ten by exclusively

there

not

a

Is

four or five

2

and the elder

volume

our college library, writ learned Frenchman, devoted of

the biography men who mind, though diminu have been great tive stature not Lord John Rus

in

Have

many

as

shall

I

small almost grow before inches as Dr. Holmes?

be

sell

I I?

if

my

ex

Is

it

will?”

the

in

of

site energy

as

as

and moral tendencies, and mould the body well the mind, requi will only put forth action

we

to

both physical

presence

as

largely

this, does not Nature leave our own power counteract to

ing

all

of

lunatics wise men, short tall, because certain dominant traits some remote ancestor, — after conced

in

in or

consumptives,

find

like Paul's, weak”? Were not Alexander the Great and Napoleon small men Were not Pope, and Dr. Watts, and Moore, and Campbell, and

my" bodily

a

or

facts what the modern French physiologists call atavism, under which we are made drunkards or

and regular

exercise; and then

cuses for my delinquencies. After all, what matter,

in

of

the

grow less methodical

as

to

after admitting

capricious

kept six weeks began

Then

with enthusiasm.

a

all

—

of

its

proper weight,

seemingly

For some five

tice.

the

prac

if,

habits

or

it

mine.—Hold there ! Are you quite sure it's no fault of yours? Are we not re

mountable hereditary influences upon or ganization, — after granting that re genealogical transmission morseless law

of

to a

It

ward under the classic umbrage of vener “But surely this is no fault of

to a much greater extent than we imagine for our physical condition ? After making abatement for insur

fitfully

and revived

was during one periods that began my

languishing

able elms.

sponsible

at

I

had languished Cambridge.

in

I am small, nay, diminutive,” I soliloquized, as I wended my way home “True,

Messrs. Cogswell and Bancroft,

charge

to

that

?

my “Isocrates”

of at

ship in construing morning.

years, gymnastics, first introduced into this country, believe, the Round-Hill Northampton, School then under the

of

self-depreciation which left me in no mood to make a brilliant show of scholar

to

the digito monstrari was, now looked down on me, raised a feeling of resentment and

to to

Down-Easter, who had made

on

though not much, in that ! But the air of amused compassion with which the lusty

tall