other European systems. Two things make it a light burden, if not a diversion, for the Swiss. They have a strong natural military instinct coming down through generations.[71] Then this instinct is in every possible manner encouraged and developed by the government, the Canton, and the Commune. The elements of drill begin with the very first week of a boy’s schooling, as soon as he can stand erect or poise a stick. All kinds of games are practised that tend to open and expand the chest, to nerve the limbs, give carriage to the form, and serve to strengthen, temper, and adjust it. All these exercises fit him and, in fact, contemplate his becoming in time a soldier. He not only learns in his youth the elements of drill and the use of arms, but habits of obedience, order, and cleanliness; and even those yet higher duties of a camp, the will to mingle class with class, to put down personal hopes and seek no object but the public good. The _Schützenfest_, liberally encouraged by the government, is held biennially. This is in many respects the parallel of the ancient Greek festival game, which served the purpose of keeping alive the national spirit. It is the most important and popular public gathering in Switzerland; the entries for the various prizes running as high as 100,000. It is uniformly opened by a formal address from the President of the Confederation and attended by all the leading men of the country. It is a national fête day. Then there are the _Sociétés de tir_, cantonal and communal shooting societies, which number about 1600, with over 100,000 members. These societies compete one with the other, and in event of their conforming to certain regulations receive subsidies from the Confederation. These regulations require: 1. Every member of the _Élite_ or _Landwehr_ must, on application, be admitted to the club, if he is able and willing to pay his share of the expense for targets, markers, etc. 2. The club must number at least twenty members. 3. The firing exercises must be done with the regulation arms and ammunition; each soldier must use his own gun; regulation targets must be had, and at least ten shots fired at every meeting, at each of the distances named. 4. To receive the subsidy, every member of the club must annually take part in at least three firing exercises, and must fire a total of fifty shots, of which at least ten must be at one of the regulation distances and regulation targets.