SWIMMING AND DIVING AND SAFETY CONCLUSIONS.
Ornamental Swimming and feats under water are matters of time, patience, and perseverance, and no printed instructions, however plain, can to any extent help the learning of these ad vanced branches of swimming. The great object to be aimed at is to attain proficiency in the Breast, Side, and Over-hand strokes, Swimming on the back, Floating, Sculling, Treading, Diving, &c., as shown in the earlier portions of this work. With a thorough knowledge of these plain move ments, the pupil will find it quite an easy matter, by combining the one with the other, to perform such tricks in the water, as for instance, to swim like a dog, or like a frog, play pick a back, spin like a top, revolve, and by attention to breathing to lie at the bottom of the water in positions.
These and many other apparently difficult feats are neither more nor less than combinations of the plain movements. When practising the more difficult parts of swimming, the pupil will do well to make himself thoroughly acquaint with the "feel" of the water, as it is called, that is, to ascertain to a nicety the effect which every movement of any of the limbs, no matter how slight, has over the motion of the whole, or any pb.rt of the body.
Our object, however, has all along been to offer such instructions in as plain language as we could command, to enable almost any one to attain proficiency in the most useful branches of the art.
The foregoing instructions have been written in as nearly as possible the same words as we use every day when teaching. We think those pupils who have been under our care will recognize this throughout, and the fact that hundreds have been taught by us on these principles may perhaps serve as our justification in laying them before that class of the general public who take an interest in this particular branch of physical education.
And now, in drawing to a close, we may be allowed to add that if the lessons given in this book shall prove the means of helping any to swim, who before were ignorant of the art, the object aimed at in its composition will be gained ; while if, through the instructions, life shall be saved, no matter to how small an extent, we shall look upon our efforts as being not only abundantly rewarded, but crowned with success.