Doctor Franklin, who was almost always a practical man, says, "that the only obstacle to improvement in this necessary and life-preserving art, is fear; and it is only by overcoming this timidity, that you can expect to become a master of the following acquirements. It is very common for novices in the art of swimming, to make use of corks or bladders to assist in keeping the body above the water; some have utterly condemned the use of them. However, they may be of service for supporting the body while one is learning what is called the stroke, or that manner of drawing in and striking out the hands and feet that is necessary to produce progressive motion; but you will be no swimmer till you can place confidence in the power of the water to support you. I would therefore advise the acquiring that confidence in the first place, as I have known several who, by a little practice necessary for that purpose, have insensibly acquired the stroke, taught as if it were by nature. The practice I mean, is this--choosing a place where the water deepens gradually, walk coolly in it until it is up to your breast, then turn your face towards the shore and throw an egg into the water between you and the shore, it will sink to the bottom and will easily be seen there if the water is clear; it must lie in the water so deep that you cannot reach to take it up without diving for it. To encourage yourself to do this, reflect that your progress will be from deep to shallow water, and that at any time you may, by bringing your legs under you and standing on the bottom, raise your head far above the water; plunge under it with your eyes open, which must be kept open before going under, as you cannot open your eyelids from the weight of water above you, throw yourself towards the egg and endeavour by the action of your feet and hands against the water, to get forward till within reach of it. In this attempt you will find that the water buoys you up against your inclination, and that it is not so easy to sink as you imagine, and that you cannot, but by active force, get down to the egg. Thus you feel the power of water to support you, and learn to confide in that power, while your endeavours to overcome it and to reach the egg, teach you the manner of acting on the water with your feet and hands, which action is afterwards used in swimming to support your head higher above the water, or to go forward through it.