Those who are addicted to athletic sports, or who admire them, set up the claim that these afford the best available means of recreation and of "physical culture." And prescriptive usage gives countenance to the claim.

The canons of reputable living exclude from the scheme of life of the leisure class all activity that can not be classed as conspicuous leisure.

And consequently they tend by prescription to exclude it also from the scheme of life of the community generally.

At the same time purposeless physical exertion is tedious and distasteful beyond tolerance.

As has been noticed in another connection, recourse is in such a case had to some form of activity which shall at least afford a colorable pretense of purpose, even if the object assigned be only a make-believe.