refinement of traits throughout, and so also the opposite conditions harmoniously prevail. Function is everywhere represented by appropriate structure, down to the big mouth of the orator and the big foot of the pedestrian.

The nervous system dominates the man; in fact, the nervous system is the man. When we think of the brain as dominating that, we should so think qualifiedly, for the brain is a part of that system. If ever there were a sovereign ruling by consent of the governed, the brain is thus dependent upon its subjects. It rules only upon the condition, not that the body politic, but that the body corporate, shall be sound. It is absolutely dependent upon the well-being of its subjects, from the highest to the lowest. That their fundamental constitution shall not be violated, that their labors shall not be excessive, that they shall have, under law, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, sum themselves up in the ruler's own possibility of pleasurable existence and life itself. The brain, without its prime minister, the spinal cord; without its cabinet of advisers, the special senses; the afferent and efferent nerves, without integrity, may make the brain absolutely helpless to have a command executed, or, if affected in some lesser degree, unable to insure any measure of sane rule such as we recognize as emanating from mind.

Thus the brain being informed, prompted, or restrained by every part of the body, and in turn informing and controlling it, dominant only upon condition of its own dependence, prime ruler of the general nervous system only upon condition of the soundness of both, is also harmonized with reference to the mechanical means by which it deals with outside nature, and chiefly as to this by the possession of the hand, a servant characteristic of and by which we may judge of the character of the master. Through the possession of this, the chief mechanical attendant of the mind, man has acquired his present high status

in the animal kingdom. But man is enormously differentiated as to different races and individuals within the confines of the species to which he belongs. With this differentiation, back of which is infinite differentiation in the nervous system, lies corresponding complexity in the character of the hand as well as of other parts of the body. The hand, as the principal mechanical executor of the will, representing the individual brain, the chief daily agent of the nervous system in the struggle for existence, has originally, and by education comes to have still more, affinity with the individual brain, and to present a specific type of expression by which we recognize it in repose or in action as a member determined in character by individual organization.

All that has been said may be condensed thus. Structure and character of function being inseparable, the individual nervous system being everywhere harmonious, and the brain being the chief seat of the system, of which the hand is the principal mechanism, the hand must physically express the general character of the brain as representing character of mind, and we appeal to observation to show that it does. This member of the body, although performing the most menial offices, takes part also on the highest state occasions. Its pudgy contours lie on the mother's breast, characterless until life and experience have given to it traits which they will with time surely impart; but thenceforward it has its life to live, and its joint history with its master or mistress to tell. It wars, or points the moral, turns to love, or in the wildest flights of oratory rises supremely over the scene. It betrays in action or repose the helpless imbecility of a torpid mind, and equally reveals the mental vigor that is latent, not deployed. That it is what it is, the most active physical representative of the personality of every human being, entitles it to a regard and care which it amply repays.

CHAPTER XX.

THE COSMETIC CARE AND TREATMENT OF THE HANDS.

THE

HE hand, being the important member of the body described in the last chapter, every rational being will endeavor to make it presentable. The first of negative qualities in its presentability will, of course, be cleanliness. But, unless doomed by toil to hardness of skin and stiffness of joints, it should have also the positive virtues of gently pronounced muscularity and suppleness, as thus best adapted to the large range of duty which fitness for the plastic and mechanical capacity of mankind demands. And not less are these attributes of the hand æsthetically than they are usefully requisite to its excellence. Its distinctive attributes, of usefulness and beauty, stand on an equal, although on a different, footing. Beauty in it is conditioned upon its appearance of serviceableness; a meagre, undeveloped hand being not more surely incapable of fine action than of presenting any appearance of capacity. Such a hand gives dissatisfaction to the mind from perception of deficiency, which is, in a sense, a deformity. A foot that cannot walk, a hand that cannot act, is a defect, not only from the point of view of usefulness, but from that of beauty. Aurora, although a goddess, the gracious, the glorious, and refined, the rosy-fingered Daughter of the Dawn, does not scorn deftly to draw aside the sable curtains of the night.

It is universally agreed that the handsome hand has tapering fingers, and nails of the form called almond-shaped. We do not remember ever to have seen the fingers too tapering to be graceful, but the almond-shape of the nail is occasionally found in This term, almond-shape, refers to the shape as looked. down upon from immediately above the nail. Referring to the

excess.

true shape of the nail, as seen from another point of view, sidewise, it should curve slightly from side to side, but scarcely perceptibly from front to rear. When it curves markedly from root to tip it becomes extremely unsightly, and this defect may reach a point in which it amounts to a disease, which will be described in the chapter on the subject of the nails. Reaching that degree of malformation, it presents the appearance of a modified talon. If beyond the smallest degree it curves from root to tip, that formation represents a defect, and the nails should be kept most carefully pared to avoid exaggerating its appearance.

The paper-nail is caused by a congenital defect in the nutrition of the nail-substance. When such nails occur they should be carefully trimmed down to the most restricted dimensions, for when allowed to grow, as we have seen them, with the corners appearing well above the end of the finger, they are not only unsightly, but are liable to be painfully torn. In such cases the advice of a physician should be taken, with the hope that some palliation of the disease may be effected, and the nail be made to assume a more serviceable and more sightly condition.

As we intend to devote a separate chapter to a description of the structure and growth of the nail, which will, of course, apply equally to the nails of the hands and the feet, we shall not here enter more deeply into the subject than to describe in general terms the treatment which the nails, as the most distinguished portion of the hand, require to insure their presentability. Be the shape of the hand and the nails never so handsome, if a person is not especially fastidious as to the nicety of the latter, the hand loses its social position, and damages its owner's repu tation for keeping good company; whereas, on the contrary, be the hand never so homely, if it be cared for, the fact will be evident, and it will be recognized as the associate of a gentleman or gentlewoman.