Position of the Figures in

Inexperienced people, upon taking on a Load, fail to stabilize it appropriately, simply because they do not wisely seek a proper counterbalance. This often happens with children’s clumsy attempts. From this foundation, it frequently arises that one person can carry and bear more weight than another, even though they might be of similar strength.

This is also completely affirmed in experienced dancers, acrobats, and those who have practiced jumping and somersaulting from a young age. Although they are merely humans of the same body and constitution as others, and can do nothing beyond the established and possible rules of Nature, yet they can accomplish many things through a particular and proficient movement unknown to others by nature; chiefly because such skills are not generally necessary in the essential conduct of human offices and services. One knows that those who have to ascend the council house steps, or the pulpit in churches, or the bleachers in the courts require less expertise in their climbing than sailors and sailors' apprentices, who at any moment, even in storm and turmoil, must fly up the ropes as cats on the mast.

And because most people know and possess control over their limbs almost as dumb cattle do, it happens occasionally that those who closely study the rules of motion and balance and bring them to practical exercise, can do many things which might seem strange or even impossible to others; thus

Translation Notes

- "Ervarent- heyd en oeffening kan veel in de beweging en doen van Actien te week brengen:" is translated to highlight the importance of experience and practice in movement and physical actions.

- "de meesten beſitten haar Lichaams vermogen als het Vee:" is translated to indicate that most people’s control over their own bodies is like that of animals, with no derogatory intent.