The next sort of impulse is obtained by a horizontal motion, inclining the body to the direction opposite to that in which the skater is advancing, and then at the instant of the stroke throwing it in the advancing direction, and raising it in a few seconds smoothly to the upright attitude. For example, supposing the skater wishes to make a very vigorous stroke, or a succession of them, forwards or backwards, he would whilst on one skate gradually draw himself not only upright, but even inclining a little backwards or forwards, and at the same time he would be preparing for the above-mentioned slight spring the instant before the stroke; the body would then be inclined suddenly yet gracefully forwards (or backwards, if the motion be in that direction), and the weight of the body at the same time thrown into the striking foot; the new edge would then be taken easily and lightly, but at the same time with great force. In back-skating it is just the same, and it is by such means that the skater is enabled almost to disguise the stroke and skim over the ice, and keep up a long and difficult movement with very little loss of the impulse derived from the original stroke. Any skater deficient in these two great aids is soon "pumped out." Some imagine that skating to be graceful must be entirely slow and stately, and that speed will destroy grace of carriage. How narrow this reasoning! We will take one instance. The flight of the swift is estimated at 80 or even 100 miles per hour at times. Every one must have watched its turns, curves, and circles, and how often have they been without elegance and grace? In short, grace of carriage in a skater, can in our opinion be enhanced more by alterations, variations, and contrasts of speed, than in any other manner. But in making use of speed the skater must be as au fait at the figures thus done, and do them with the same ease, as if he were skating them slowly. 10. The inside and outside edge, both forwards and backwards, should be learnt on a very large scale, even at the commencement. Not so, however, with the turns or threes, which can be begun with little impulse and of small size, extending the size of them as progress is made. The skater must not forget that skating can never be too large to be good. II.-In making the forward turns or threes the weight of the body should rest on the fore part of the skate-iron; in making the backward turns on the heel. (By forward turns we mean those from a forward edge; by backward turns, those from a back edge.) Again, the weight of the body should be eased off at the moment of change, by using the above-described slight imperceptible spring, the instant before. This will diminish the friction of the iron upon the ice. 12. Whatever practice is done once on the right foot, in the way of figures, should be repeated twice H on the left. The skater will thus become equally able on both feet, and not, like very many skaters, unable to do justice to the left. This habit of practice must be early acquired, as there is a strong tendency in all young, and even adult, skaters to use the right or strong leg very much more than the left or weaker: this naturally causes a great defect in the learner by making him better on one leg than the other, and thus renders him unable to take his part in good combined figure-skating, which is always conducted as much on one leg as the other. The learner should observe all good skaters most closely at every opportunity, and there is no reason why he should not go through a course of drill when the ice does not bear; let him don his mechanical skates with wheels, and learn what to do. Look at the volunteer rifleman: he learns to shoot in proper position, (which goes far to make a good marksman,) before he fires a shot at the target. Let us take a lesson from Hythe, then. We can certainly say that a good skater is generally a sufficiently "good fellow" to willingly assist with his advice and example any tyro who is really anxious to get on. To summarize the main points that will constitute a first-class skater, as treated of in these directions, we have : 1. The straightened knee. 3. The semi-sideways position of the body. 4. The vertical momentum. 5. The horizontal momentum. 6. The forward turns on the toe. 7. The backward turns on the heel. 8. Double practice on the left leg. Qualities which give necessarily 1. An upright carriage. 2. A graceful unpretending attitude. 3. A steady and perfect balance. 4. Powerful and accurate skating. 5. Facilities in making turns. 6. Equality of power on either leg. CHAPTER V. ICE. WHAT a difference there is in ice! This is occasioned by the way in which congelation has been disturbed by wind, snow, partial thaw, return of frost, &c. Ice appears also of different shades of colour, owing to the above causes, and the situation of the pond, lake, &c. Ice is well known to be so much lighter than water, that, in rough figures, one-third of the entire thickness appears above the surface of the water when it is floating. A very severe frost, without snow or wind, will produce ice intensely hard, very dark in colour, generally a blackish green, yet also very clear, very much like the colour of wine-bottle glass; or if it is frozen at a comparatively high temperature, say three or four degrees, and if there is at the time of congelation no wind, it may have quite a greenish cast, and be of a greasy nature. We are aware, of course, that both such kinds of ice are in themselves nearly colourless; yet that they do, owing to various causes, appear to have these well |