upon the art of making doubles, on account of their supposed difficulty and the poor success that attends many skaters who try to learn them.* They are not very difficult upon a small scale, but that they are so when very large is an undoubted fact, as the most expert skater will testify, and this arises from the necessity of attaining an upright position (for an instant) when the turn is made, and so losing during that instant the safety of the edge. Many skaters have but a faint idea of the scale on which this figure can, after a smart run, be skated. Curves of eight yards and upwards each, united by three turns, will be another great test-figure; and the greater the velocity, the greater the test.

The double 3 can be skated into the form of a flower or shamrock, by making three nearly full circles between each of the turns, the last curve continued larger and longer to represent the stalk. This stalk can also be represented with the serpentine line.

The four kinds of three turns or double 3's may be described thus:

Three Turns A.—Let the start be effected with a curve of inside forwards, then a turn to outside

* That this figure may be executed with almost ridiculous ease and safety from long practice, I may state that I have often skated it from curiosity, with my eyes shut during its alternation, on each leg, without a fall, and I lay no claim to superior skill in it. The effect is curious; it may be expressed, perhaps, by the word " dreamy."H. E. V.

backwards, another turn to inside forwards, and a final one to outside backwards, dwelling on each curve equally.

Three Turns B.-Let the start be effected with a curve of inside backwards, then a turn to outside forwards, another turn to inside backwards, and a final one to outside forwards, dwelling on each curve equally.

Three Turns C.-Let the start be effected with a curve of outside forwards, then a turn to inside backwards, another turn to outside forwards, and a final one to inside backwards, dwelling on each curve equally.

Three Turns D.-Let the start be effected with a curve of outside backwards, then a turn to inside forwards, another turn to outside backwards, and a final one to inside forwards.

FOUR TURNS AND UPWARDS.

Four turns, six turns, &c. being even numbers, bring the skater to the original starting edge; we have already mentioned the facilities of using the cross impulse and alternating such turns.

Five turns will make a triple 3, seven turns a quadruple 3, called also a double-double.

As to the number of turns that can be skated, exceeding these, all will depend upon steadiness and preservation of the first impulse as much as possible, by the lightness of the execution, and the

antifriction qualities that can be made use of by a careful attention to the application of the vertical and horizontal momentum, as discussed in the General Directions, and finally by the size of the curves or semicircles. We have heard of over a score turns being done on one foot consecutively; we know not whether they were mere spins, but we can safely assert that we have skated with the best skaters in England, and have never seen anything like such a performance. Our own capabilities have never, so far as we remember, produced more than fourteen turns on the right, and twelve on the left foot. From the closest observation and experience, we believe that ten turns on each foot, the curves being of a large size, will almost exhaust the impetus, no matter what it may have been at starting; if more turns can be done, they will gradually degenerate into spins. No skater need fear for his reputation if he can execute a large triple or double-double, extending over a total space of twelve yards or upwards. It is in a wild yet graceful flourish of this kind that the unemployed leg is often swung to the front, gathered in, swung again, &c., according to the taste of the skater. The quieter and more elegant way, however, to our notions, is to keep it behind all the time, particularly if this can be done without presenting an appearance of stiffness.

It becomes obvious that if we chose by way of

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private practice to do so, we can imitate more or less perfectly a few flowers, such as a rose, &c., by skating a number of turns into a spiral form. A pure kind of waltzing is also practical by alternating such turns in a large circle. This is very different from the usual scramble, dignified with the name of waltz.

CHAPTER IX.

THE SKATING CLUB FIGURES.

IF the learner has carefully studied the foregoing figures in their entirety, and acquired the art of skating them by practice, he will be quite competent to begin practising combined skating in concert with others.

The Turn C (the ordinary figure 3) can be done by two or four skaters standing opposite; so also can the double odd turns.

The figure 8 can be likewise so treated. We do not dwell much, however, on these individual movements, because by far the best arrangement of combinations has been gradually condensed into a series of figures, that have been called a reel or quadrille, but which we shall now designate (as indicating the source from which they have emanated) "the Skating Club Figures."

These can be participated in by any number of skaters not less than two or more than seven. Four is the best general number, perhaps, but one of the writers once had the good fortune to form