The works of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin consisting of his Life written by himself : together with Essays humorous, moral, & literary, chiefly in the manner of the Spectator.

ON THE ART OF SWIMMING.

In answer to some enquiries of M. Dubourg* 1.1 on the subject.

I AM apprehensive that I shall not be able to find leisure for making all the disquisitions and experiments which would be desirable on this sub|ject. I must, therefore, content myself with a few remarks.

The specific gravity of some human bodies, in comparison to that of water, has been examined by M. Robinson, in our Philosophical Transactions, volume 50, page 30, for the year 1757. He as|serts, that fat persons with small bones float most easily upon water

The diving bell is accurately described in our transactions.

When I was a boy, I made two oval pallets, each about ten inches long, and six broad, with a hole for the thumb, in order to retain it fast in the palm of my hand. They much resemble a painter's pallets. In swimming I pushed the edges of these forward, and I struck the water with their flat surfaces as I drew them back. I remember I swam faster by means of these pallets, but they fa|tigued my wrists.—I also fitted to the soles of my feet a kind of sandals; but I was not satisfied with them, because I observed that the stroke is partly given with the inside of the feet and the ancles, and not entirely with the soles of the feet.

We have here waistcoats for swimming, which are made of double sail-cloth, with small pieces of cork quilted in between them.

I know nothing of the scaphandre of M. de la Chapell••.

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 procuring a progressive motion.

When he is seized with the cramp in the leg, the method of driving it away is to give to the parts affected a sudden, vigorous, and violent shock; which he may do in the air as he swims on his back.

During the great heats of summer there is no danger in bathing, however warm we may be, in rivers which have been thoroughly warmed by the sun. But to throw oneself into cold spring water, when the body has been heated by exercise in the sun, is an imprudence which may prove fatal. I once knew an instance of four young men, who, having worked at harvest in the hea•• of the day, with a view of refreshing themselves plunged into a spring of cold water: two died upon the spot, a third the next morning, and the fourth recovered with great difficulty. A copious draught of cold water, in similar circumstances, is frequently attend|ed 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 ar|dent heat of summer. 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 diarrhea, and even of producing a constipation. With re|spect to those who do not know how to swim, or who are affected with a diarrhoea at a season which does 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. I speak from my own experience, frequently repeat|ed, and that of others to whom I have recommend|ed this.

You will not be displeased if I conclude these hasty remarks by informing you, that as the ordi|nary method of swimming is reduced to the act of rowing with the arms and legs, and is consequent|ly a laborious and fatiguing operation when the space of water to be crossed is considerable; there is a method in which a swimmer may pass to great distances with much facility, by means of a fail. This discovery I fortunately made by accident, and in the following manner.

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 a little time, being desirous of amusing myself with my kite, and enjoying at the same time the pleasure of swimming, I returned; and loosing from the stake the string with the little stick which was fastened to it, went again into the water, where I found, that, lying on my back and holding the stick in my hands, I was draws along the surface of the water in a very agreeable 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Having then engaged another boy to

carry my clothes round the pond, to a place which I pointed out to him on the other side, I began to cross the pond with my kite, which carried me quite over without the least fatigue, and with the greatest pleasure imaginable. I was only obliged occasionally to halt a little in my course, and resist its progress, when it appeared that, by following too quick, I lowered the kite too much: by doing which occasionally I made it rise again.—I have never since that time practised this singu|lar mode of swimming, though I think it not im|possible to cross in this manner from Dover to Ca|lais. The packet-boat, however, is still prefer|able.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Translator of Dr. Franklin's Works into French.