De Arte Natandi Libri Duo
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(Redirected from Two Books on the Art of Swimming)
De Arte Natandi Libri Duo by Everard Digby published in 1587
The Arte Natandi Libri Duo (or Two Books on the Art of Swimming) is the first swimming instruction book published in England. Written in Latin by scholar Everard Digby in 1587, the book introduced over 40 different swimming strokes and movements.
The first book contains the rules of swimming itself like why bodies float. The second book teaches practical strokes and contains practice and demonstration including 42 woodcut illustrations that show different body positions in the water.
Everard Digby
Everard Digby was a Cambridge academic.
English Translation
In 1595, Christopher Middleton translated the book into English.
