PEDESTRIANISM.

Evening Star, Issue 3938, 8 October 1875, Page 3

PEDESTRIANISM.

To the Editor, SIR —Having lately heatd some doubts expres ied as to the possibi iry of walking beivra fair wh-*u the knee is at ail bent, I hr.vc been a waiting with some •Titere**; for a reiily to Edwuris’s letter to tho ‘ Australa-urm.’ in which he eske.ri for a confirmation of h ; s statement that “ walking is a succession of .trides with the knee perfectly straight.” That journal, however, in its issue of September 11, disclaims -uch en idea, and points out that a walker should place the heel of on * feot on the ground before he lifts the toe of tho other foot from th; ground, and that he should dwell on the toes as short a timo as possible. This exposition has been also given out by the Caledonian Society of • itago, who have for years printed on their posters, <fec., the conditions of fair heel and too walking, which are “that the heel of one foot should bo on the ground before the toe of the other leaves it.” According to Edwards's definition of walking, ninetenths of the i cople who walk along the streets are trotting or tunning at the rate of four miles an hour, as they generally bend the knee more or less. Again, it would be impossible to walk up hill with a straight knee and keep within tho bounds of fair ness, if Edwards’s definition of walking were generally accepted. I certainly was surprised to hear such a definition of walking from a man who. if unable himself to walk fast, might have known something about the subject. and I told him at the time that it was .absurd to ask such a qu-.-stion, as it was evident that a man can keep his knees straight and bound from heel to heel at the rate of ten miles an hour, Mr Jacobsen, who is vastly superior to Edwards, bends his knees, and his fairu so is undoubted. 1 may also slate that it is immaterial how a man holds his head, body, or arms, as long as he plants ore heel on the ground before the toe of the other leaves it, and I shaU be glad if any of your readers can furnidi me with any belter definition of walking. —I am, &c , Alfred Austin. Dunedin, October 0.