feet gives sufficient impetus. He lifts one foot, crosses it slowly in front of the other, and sets it down, then the other in front of that, and so on alternately; always dwelling as long as he can on whichever foot is nearest the inside of the circle, because that foot is working on the outside edge of the skate—and as briefly as possible on the other, which works on the inside edge. The foot that is behind, must be kept behind till it is to be set down, then brought forward, and the instant it is in front, down with it; it must not be carried in the air in front for an instant.

When tired skating with the right foot to the inside of the circle, go off in the other direction, that is, making a circle with the left foot to the inside of it, when you will dwell most on the left,— and be particular to give both ways equal practice.

When first the learner tries skating round in a circle, he will find it rather difficult, but in an hour or two he will get round with comparative ease; and after a few days at this, varied, of course, with other practice, he will be surprised at his own progress; he will find himself able to dwell for a few yards on the outside edge, with the raised foot behind him—perhaps nearly to complete the circle.

There is no other mode of learning that will

give equal confidence in leaning over to the outside, or enable the learner to acquire the correct balance, and yet keep the raised foot well back; And even after the skater can complete the circle on the outside edge with tolerable ease, he will find benefit from occasionally reverting to this practice; particularly at the beginning of a season, when he may feel a little insecure.

ROLLING.

This is the first mode of turning to account the last lesson. It consists of an outside semicircle on each foot alternately; and has been termed Rolling, on account of the marked inclination of the body, first to one side, then to the other, as the skater circles to the right or to the left. To the mere spectator, it appears more wonderful than anything else, as the body is manifestly in a position which it would appear impossible to maintain for a moment without falling.

It is maintained, as I have already mentioned, by centrifugal force; and the inclination can therefore be much increased by increased speed: exactly as Franconi's horses walk round the circus upright—canter at a slight inclination inwards— but when put to the gallop, lie over in a position in which they could not stand for an instant.

Except in executing any of the figures, it is not necessary to complete the circle in Rolling. The skater changes the foot when he has a mind; nevertheless, I would recommend the learner not to attempt to alternate the feet, until he can do a complete circle on either separately. If he begins trying to alternate as soon as he can go a yard or two on the outside edge, he will inevitably check his acquirement of the proper inclination.

When he has attained the single circle on either foot properly, changing from one to the other at pleasure is easily acquired. To make the change, he must bring forward the raised foot, and set it down in front on the outside edge, at the same time changing the inclination of the body to that side. In making this change, the foot that has just finished its curve comes over momentarily on to the inside edge, from which he takes the impetus for his new circle. As in common "Forward Striking," at the moment of making each stroke, the feet are at right angles to each other.

The raised foot must not be brought forward till it has to be set down; for nothing is more awkward and ungainly looking, than to see a skater rolling with the raised foot, perhaps, up high in front of him, or sticking up stiffly to one side, like a pump handle. But, as doing so acts as a coun

terbalance to the lean over, it is easier than the right way, and the learner is very apt to fall into a bad habit, which a careful beginning would avoid.

Captain Jones' plan of teaching is rather dif ferent from what I have described, and I shall therefore extract it for the reader's consideration.

He says:

"To preserve the balance on the outside edge, "is so difficult to be acquired, that I have known

many to spend three or four winters in learning "it. To prevent such disappointment, I will lay "down one general rule, which I have never known "to fail, even with those who at first seem the most aukward.

"Suppose a stroke to be made on the left foot, "it must be put down on the flat, with the knee "bent, the head inclined to the left, the right arm "held out, nearly upon a line with the shoulder, "and the left arm held close to the side; then, "with the right foot, impel yourself to the left, by "often pressing the inside edge of the skait on the "ice; the left foot is not to be taken off. By this "method, you will make a sweep, which you must "endeavour to increase, by inclining the body to "the left, and bearing on the outside edge of the "skait, and by gradually increasing your inclina

“ation, and turning the head more and more to "the left shoulder, you will form a spiral line. "This method must be reversed for the right foot; "and if practised for two or three days, the out"side edge may be acquired."

The reader will observe this is exactly the mode of propulsion adopted by little boys whose slender resources have not attained the possession of a second skate. I do not believe that those who learn skating in that way, have any particular facility for the outside edge, and I confidently assert, that if the young skater tries the Captain's lesson, he will fail, or learn very slowly; for, depend upon it, nothing but going round in a circle will teach him to lean over, for nothing else will give the centrifugal force which alone enables it to be done. The Captain was evidently not aware of this, for he devotes a very pedantic chapter to the enquiry, why it is possible to maintain the body in a falling position, "which must appear to "those who neither consider nor understand the "reason, as it were somewhat amazing; but it "mechanically considered, it may be easily con"ceived with this allowance, that nature here, as "well as on many occasions, acts in a manner that "cannot be entirely reduced to mechanical prin"ciples.”