Published Letter from John Wilkinson to William Maclin (April 18, 1805)

Published Letter from John Wilkinson to William Maclin (April 18, 1805)

Dancing Exercise, Falling Exercise, Laughing Exercise, Other Bodily Exercises & General References, Uncategorized, University of Michigan

“[The Jerks consist] in a sudden inclination, or reclining, of the shoulders, and is so quick, that the head appears to move too slow for the shoulders…. This is common to both sexes, but with this difference, that men seldom have more than one jerk…; whereas, a woman will frequently continue a repetition of that motion…for ten or fifteen minutes, reclining backwards as far as her feet, or some other obstacle will permit her, and bending so far forwards, as almost to touch the floor with her head….”

William Young’s “Thoughts on the Exercises” (February 20, 1806)

1805-1809, Books, Essays & Treatises, Other Bodily Exercises & General References, Presbyterians

“I presume not to condemn the persons thus influenced [by the jerks], nor to detract from the sincerity of their devotion; but my wish is to remove the delusion of supposing it to be a bodily disease, and leave the intrinsic merits of the subject to Him, who “searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins of the children of men….”