Slinging.org Forum - interesting thoughts from almost 200 years ago

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interesting thoughts from almost 200 years ago
Oct 9^th, 2005 at 9:25pm

the following is a quote by william hazlitt (d.1830)

there is then is this sort of manual dexterity, first a gradual aptitude acquired to a given exertion of muscular power, from constant repetition, and in the next place, an exact knowledge of how much is still wanting and necessary to be supplied. the obvious test is to increase the effort or nicety of the operation, and still to find it come true. the muscles ply instinctively to the force of habit. certain movements and impressions of the hand and eye, having been repeated together an infinite number of times, are unconsciously but unavoidably cemented into closer and close union; the limbs require little more than to be put into motion for them to follow a regular track with ease and certainty; so that the mere intention of the will acts mathematically, like touching the spring of a machine, and you come with locksley in ivanhoe, in shooting at a mark, 'to allow for the wind'

sv

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Tint Interfector Viris Spurii Past Moderator Offline Posts: 2335 Hong Kong Gender:	Re: interesting thoughts from almost 200 years ago Reply #1 - Oct 10^th, 2005 at 12:41am Cool! 8)
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Curious Aardvark

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Re: interesting thoughts from almost 200 years ago
Reply #2 - Oct 10^th, 2005 at 7:29am

yet at no point does it mention slinging - he could just as easily be talking about bowling for cricket, fly fishing, archery or anything else that requires hand eye coordination.

Why do you think he's talking about slinging ?
(like the missing bit of the quote that says: 'I think this about slinging') :-)

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Castle7 Senior Member Offline I'm on fire today!! Posts: 453 GR, Michigan Gender:	Re: interesting thoughts from almost 200 years ago Reply #3 - Oct 10^th, 2005 at 8:34am And what weapons and games were played like that back then. I mean, I doubt they had fly fishing ???
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Curious Aardvark Forum Moderation Offline Taller than the average Dwarf Posts: 13965 Midlands England Gender:	Re: interesting thoughts from almost 200 years ago Reply #4 - Oct 10^th, 2005 at 8:57am actually fly fishing has been around for hundreds of years - at least back to the 16th-17th century - you americans have to remember that the rest of the world has history :-)
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Dale

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Re: interesting thoughts from almost 200 years ago
Reply #5 - Oct 10^th, 2005 at 2:37pm

Excellent quotation, Sv!

Curious_Aardvark, you are correct, strictly speaking. Hazlitt is speaking specifically of archery (who else would "Locksley" be but Robert, or Robin?). You are also correct that Hazlitt's words apply equally to any activity requiring hand and eye (or hand and no eye, if you want to try Mikeel's way of slinging blind...). But why disallow wise words because they do not mention your favorite activity by name? These words describe the perfect cast, where one is not conscious of hand or sling, but only of rock and rabbit (or stump, or whatever ... I just like alliteration).

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ERRATUM: I was wrong, Hazlitt was not talking about slinging but about juggling -- or so I am told by someone who actually read what Hazlitt wrote. Which is more than I did. I just assumed that anything mentioning (Robert of) Locksley, had to be about archery. Had to add this correction, in case somebody finds my mis-information in a search.

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« Last Edit: Mar 24^th, 2006 at 5:59pm by Dale »

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Chris Slinging.org Administrator Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 1284 USA Gender:	Re: interesting thoughts from almost 200 years ago Reply #6 - Oct 10^th, 2005 at 2:58pm I think this is true of many sports (and actions in general). The best slingers can feel the sling in their hand, and cast it with remarkable speed and precision because their bodies have been conditioned. Chris
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sv Funditor Offline Posts: 764 ireland	Re: interesting thoughts from almost 200 years ago Reply #7 - Oct 10^th, 2005 at 6:11pm he was actually writing about juggling, but his observations hold true for slinging, as is easily appreciated. sv
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Dale

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Re: interesting thoughts from almost 200 years ago
Reply #8 - Oct 11^th, 2005 at 1:13am

Eep! Juggling? He was talking about juggling? So the reference to Locksley, and allowing for the wind, was just bringing up a familiar example?

As it happens, I juggle a bit, too. And juggling, archery, slinging or whatever, Hazlitt hit the mark!

Where is that quote from? I might like to look it up and read the rest of what he had to say.

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sv Funditor Offline Posts: 764 ireland	Re: interesting thoughts from almost 200 years ago Reply #9 - Oct 11^th, 2005 at 6:37am Dale, i actually bought a book, the selected writings of william hazlitt, and read it there, i haven't looked for him online. his essays are brilliantly written; the juggling article goes into the philosophy of juggling as well. sv
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Curious Aardvark Forum Moderation Offline Taller than the average Dwarf Posts: 13965 Midlands England Gender:	Re: interesting thoughts from almost 200 years ago Reply #10 - Oct 11^th, 2005 at 6:47am I wasn't questioning the veracity of the quote - just the assumption that it was about slinging ;-) Juggling - of course :-) now there's hand eye coordiantion for you. Never got past three objects myself, though I can do several patterns with them.
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Dale

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Re: interesting thoughts from almost 200 years ago
Reply #11 - Oct 11^th, 2005 at 1:48pm

I can do "over" and "under" with three balls, but that's all.

The best thing I've seen, was done by the people that taught me how to juggle. Two guys faced each other juggling three balls each. Then all of a sudden they were passing the balls between them, so that any given ball went up, came down, went up and across, down, up in front of the other guy, down, up and across to the first guy again. THEN, a third guy just casually reached in and grabbed one of the balls. Now they're juggling five balls. Then he did it again. And again. Finally these two guys are standing facing each other, totally concentrating on juggling ... nothing. And now the third guy tosses a ball into the pattern, and another, and another, until they are juggling six balls between them again.

It was AWESOME to watch! Hand-eye coordination squared!

William Hazlitt. I'll look him up next time I am at the library. Thanks!

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