Chapter VII: On the Physical Powers of Man

The mechanical construction of MAN is admirably adapted to his destination. His body is neither too large nor too small; but of that convenient size which fits him for the station in which he is placed. Were it larger, his activity, and even his strength in proportion to his bulk, would be diminished; and he would thus be deprived of many of those enjoyments which contribute so much to his happiness.--He would lose the services of some of the most useful of the inferior animals; especially those of the Horse, whose power is limited to a degree of strength not much exceeding the carriage of the weight of a man. On the other hand, a diminutive race could neither accomplish those great undertakings which are required for their comfort, nor, perhaps, be able to maintain the dominion of the earth against the beast of the forest. But man enjoys every advantage which can be derived from the exact adjustment of his capacity to his duty; and if he be “fearfully and wonderfully made,” it is in perfect consistency with that wisdom which is displayed in all the works of nature.

As, in this world, man has been placed in the first rank of created beings, his mental powers are not only incomparably beyond those of other animals, but his physical strength also exceeds that of most of them. An ingenious Frenchman ascertained the strength of the human frame, by placing on every part of a man’s body, standing upright, a number of weights in such a manner, that each part supported as much as it could bear relatively to the rest; and it was found by this contrivance, that a man could stand under two thousand pounds.

The bulk of the body of a horse is to that of a man as six or seven are to one; so that, if his strength were proportionate to that of our species, he ought to bear a load of twelve or fourteen thousand pounds; but no horse could carry such a weight; and his strength, therefore, allowing for the difference of size, is not equal to that of man.

In a memoir presented to the National Institute of France, M. Coulomb suggested the idea of ascertaining the quantity of daily action which men are able to furnish by individual labour, according to the different modes in which they employ their strength. And it has been said that, if all the strength a man could exert in a day, were united into a single effort, he could lift (one foot from the ground,) a weight equal to one million seven hundred and twenty-eight thousand pounds, without injuring himself.

The DYNANOMETER, of _M. Regnier_, has afforded some curious results regarding the strength of the people of different nations. In the years 1800-1-2-3, and 4, M. Peron sailed on a voyage of discovery with Captains _Baudin_ and _Hamelin_, in the French ships _Le Geographe_, and _Le Naturaliste_; and in the first volume of his _Voyage de Decouvertes aux Terres Australes_, he gives an account of some experiments he made with this new instrument to ascertain the comparative strength which individuals are capable of exerting.

According to the Dynanometer, M. Peron found, that the inhabitants of the countries under-mentioned, were capable of exerting a force as follows, viz.

Strength of the Hands. Do. Loins.
Killegrammes. Myriagrames.
SAVAGES.
Of Diemen’s Land, 50 6 0 0
Of New Holland, 51 8 14 8
Of Timor, 58 7 16 2

EUROPEANS.
French, 69 2 22 1
English, 71 4 23 8

From the above experiments it appears, that men in a savage state, are not so strong as those under the influence of civilization; “and thus it is demonstrated, that the improvement of social order does not impair our physical powers, as some persons have imagined.” And it is also evident, that Englishmen possess more strength than Frenchmen; a fact that has been proved as often as our soldiers have charged the French army with the bayonet.

The strength and activity of the human frame arise from the muscular conformation of its parts, and their constant EXERCISE.--Those habituated to carry burdens will bear a load of from six to eight hundred pounds; while other men, of the same weight and apparent strength, would find it difficult to carry more than one hundred and fifty, to two hundred pounds. This difference is the effect of practice; as nature proportionally augments the power of those parts of the body which are most exerted.

From the same cause, watermen, fishermen, and sailors, who are accustomed to the use of the oar, acquire great strength in their arms; but, indeed, the position of the rower is the best calculated of any, for exerting and increasing the muscular power of the body, as every part must be employed at the same time. Accordingly, that hardy race of men whose occupation leads them to ply the oar on our rivers, and along the sea coast, are the strongest and most robust of our species.

Pedestrianism also depends on practice; for the citizen, whose excursions are limited to six or seven miles on a holiday, would be as much fatigued by a walk of double that distance, as a person in the country who is accustomed to travel, would be, by the accomplishment of a journey of fifty or sixty miles. Such is the nature of our physical and intellectual faculties, that they can be improved only by calling them into action, or what is the same thing, they can only be invigorated by the resistance they offer to the pressure of difficulties, and acquire power, therefore, in proportion to the obstacles which they have to overcome.

The strength and activity of men who are inured to the exercise of walking, are truly astonishing. They will travel farther for a week or a month than a horse, and, if habituated to hunting, they will outrun him, and continue the chace much longer. The American Indians, it is said by travellers, pursue the elk with such rapidity, that they are able to fatigue and secure him, although he is as swift as the stag. It is also related of those men, that they will go journies of a thousand leagues in six weeks or two months; or at the rate of about sixty miles a day, over the most rugged mountains, and through tractless countries.

But feats more astonishing than those performed by the Indians, or any other nation, have been accomplished of late years in Britain. Captain Barclay walked one hundred and ten miles in nineteen hours and twenty-seven minutes; and Glanville went a hundred and forty-two miles in twenty-nine hours. In the pages of this volume, we have recorded many examples of the almost incredible strength, agility, and perseverance of modern pedestrians. And as EXERCISE, particularly on foot, is attended by so many advantages to mankind, the Author thinks, he cannot conclude this work with any observations more apposite to the subject than those of the amiable CHRISTOPHER CHRISTIAN STURM. “Man, (says he,) in a state of civilization, does not know how much strength he possesses; how much he loses by effeminacy, nor how much he can acquire by frequent exercise. We cannot but regard with pity those indolent beings, who pass their lives in idleness and effeminacy; who never exert their strength, nor exercise their powers, for fear of injuring their health, or shortening their lives.”

“Let us, in future, therefore, exert all our powers and faculties for the good of our fellow creatures, according to our situation and circumstances; and, if necessity require, let us cheerfully earn our bread by the sweat of our brow; even then our happiness is greater than that of thousands of our fellow men;” and “the more happy we find our lot compared with [that of] the unfortunate victims of LUXURY, the more seriously ought we to apply ourselves to fulfil our duties.”--_Sturm’s Reflections, Sept. XV._