Benjamin Franklin

“ If men sink to the bottom of the water it is their own fault, nature having laid no necessity on them of doing so; nay, there is not only occasion for force and strength, but also art, to do it safely, speedily, and handsomely ; but those who are expert at swimming do it, on occasion, as swift as an arrow and descend perpendicularly or obliquely as they please. The first way of doing it is, to begin standing on your feet touching the bottom ”

“ When I was a boy I amused myself one day with flying a paper kite ; and approaching the bank of a pond, which was near a mile broad, I tied the string to a stake, and the kite ascended to a very considerable height above the pond, while I was swimming. ”

“ In this attempt you will find that the water buoys you up against your inclination ; that it is not so easy a thing to sink as you imagined, and that you cannot but by active force get down to the egg. Thus you feel the power of the water to support you, and learn to confide in that power, while your endeavours to overcome it, and to reach the egg, teach you this manner of acting on the water with your feet and hands, which action is afterwards used in swimming to support your head higher above the water, or to go forward through it. ”

“ That though the legs, arms, and head, of a human body, being solid parts, are specifically something heavier than fresh water, yet the trunk, particularly the upper part, from its hollowness, is so much lighter than water, as that the whole of the body taken together is too light to sink wholly under water, but some part will remain above, until the lungs become filled with water, which happens from drawing water into them instead of air, when a person in the fright attempts breathing while the mouth and nostrils are under water. ”

“ Soldiers particularly should, methinks, all be taught to swim ; it might be of frequent use either in surprising an enemy or saving themselves. And if I had now boys to educate, I should prefer those schools (other things being equal) where an opportunity was afforded for acquiring so advantageous an art, which, once learned, is never forgotten. ”

“ Be not at all afraid lying along the water when you know the bottom. It will sometimes happen that you drink down some water, but that ought not to discourage you, nor need you imagine that you are not as capable of learning to swim as well as others, for the same thing happens almost to all beginners ; for it is common at first learning, in lying along the water, to sink down, and be ready to be stifled in holding your breath. ”

“ A copious draught of cold water, in similar circumstances is frequently attended with the same effect in North America.
The exercise of swimming is one of the most healthy and agreeable in the world. After having swam for an hour or two in the evening, one sleeps coolly the whole night, even during the most ardent heats of smmer. Perhaps the pores being cleansed, the insensible perspiration increases and occasions this coolness. It is certain, that much swimming is the means of stopping a diarrhoea and even of producing a constipation. ”

“ It is very common for novices in the art of swimmnig to make use of corks or bladders to assist in keeping the body above the water. Some have utterly condemned the use of these ; however, they may be of service for supporting the body while one is learning what is called the stroke, or that manner of drawing in and striking out the hands and feet that is necessary to produce progressive motion. But you will be no swimmer till you can place confidence in the power of the water to support you ”

“ When you are upright in the water, lie down on your back very gently; elevate your breast above the surface of the water; and, in the meantime, keep your body always extended in a right line, your hands stretched to the outside of the thighs, striking out and drawing in your legs successively, and keeping them within two feet of the surface of the water, and govern yourself accordingly. It is true, there will always be a great part of the head under water, which makes most beginners not care for this way ”

“ The body continuing suspended as before and upright, if the head be leaned quite baek, so that the face looks upward, all the baek part of the head being then under water, and its weight consequently in a great measure supported by it, the face will remain above water quite free for breathing, will rise an inch higher every inspiration, and sink as much every expiration, but never so low as that the water may come over the mouth. ”

“ When you mean to turn while swimming in the ordinary way, it requires no farther trouble then to incline your head to the right or left side which ever you wish to turn on, and throwing aside the water with the arm and leg that is undermost, in the same manner as one would do were he wishing to turn himself in bed, or on the floor: and in turning from floating to swimming one has only to lower the side that he means to turn on, and embraee the water with the arm and leg that is uppermost ”

“ If, therefore, a person acquainted with swimming, and falling accidently into the water, could have presenee of mind sufficient to avoid struggling and plunging, and to let the body take this natural position, he might continue long safe from drowning, till perhaps help would come. ”

“ You will not be displeased if I conclude these hasty remarks by informing you, that as the ordinary method of swimming is reduced to the act of rowing with the arms and legs, and is consequently a laborious and fatiguing operation when the space of water to be crossed is considerable, there is a method by which a swimmer may pass to great distances with much facility, by means of a sail. ”

“ For though we value ourselves on being reasonable knowing creatures, reason and knowledge seem, on such occasions, to be of little use to us ; and the brutes, to whom we allow scarce a glimmering of either, appear to have the advantage of us. ”

“ The first thing that must be learnt, is to divest yourself of all fear; and then, if you follow the instruetions given in this little Work, and practise them frequently, you will soon attain the pleasant Art of Swimming, which, onee obtained, you can never forget. ”

“ Caution is requisite to all learners, as it sometimes happens in expert swimmers that they strike against the bottom, which is very disagreeable, and that in a great depth you are obliged to hold in your breath a long while; but this you may remedy, by turning on your back when you begin to get near the bottom, as you will cease to descend when you begin to turn yourself. The coldness of the water is a little troublesome at first, but in a short time it wears off. ”

“ That in fresh water, if a man throw himself on his back, near the surface, he cannot long continue in that situation, but by proper action of his hands on the water. If he uses no such action, the legs and lower part of the body will gradually sink till he comes into an upright position, in which he will continue suspended, the hollow of his breast keeping the head uppermost. ”

“ You must take care, lest while you lift up your arms, the thorax or breast be not contraeted, for in that case you sink. The whole art of this way of swimming consists in heaving up the breast as high, and keeping it inflated as much as possible, while your arms are held up. ”

“ It is entirely owing to the want of proper instruetions and practice, that man eannot swim with the same facility as many of the inferior animals, which seem to be led by instinct to use the proper action for their preservation, while rational creatures, being aware of their danger, grow fearful or impatient, and begin to struggle, which has the effect of making them sink in the water. ”

“ That therefore a person throwing himself on his back, in salt water, and extending his arms, may easily lie so as to keep his mouth and nostrils free for breathing ; and by a small motion of his hands may prevent turning, if he should perceive any tendency to it. ”

“ I know by experience, that it is a great comfort to a swimmer, who has a considerable distance to go, to turn himself sometimes on his back, and to vary in other respects the means of of proeuring a progressive motion. ”

“ That the legs and arms are specifically lighter than salt water, and will be supported by it, so that a human body cannot sink in salt water, though the lungs were filled as above, but from the greater specific gravity of the head. ”

“ With respect to those who do not know how to swim, or who are affected with a diarrhoea at a season which dees not permit them to use that exercise, a warm bath, by cleansing and purifying the skin, is found very salutary, and often effects a radical cure. ”

“ SWIMMING BACKWARDS.
When lying on the back we push ourselves onward with our feet and legs; but to do the eontrary, and proeeed forward, we must, lying always on the baek, keep the body extended at full length in a straight line, the breast inflated, so that the part of the back which is between the shoulders must be eoncave (or hollow) and sunk down in the water; the hands on the belly. ”

“ This way, which scems so surprising, is sometimes very useful; suppose, at any time, the ice should happen to break under your feet, this way will be of vast advantage to secure yourself from the danger. It may also be very advantageous in case a man is obliged to save himself from some enemy pursuing him, by leaping into the water in a dark night ”

“ The same thing may be performed by placing yourself on your back, but the other way is most advantageous, because you may see your way before you; and those that swim on their back are obliged to turn themselves often for that purpose. ”