THE GENERAL LAWS OF HEALTH,

Health and physical beauty dependent on observance of the laws of life.

The ultimate cause of the integrity of all organisms the health of cells.

The spendthrift tendency of mankind as to health. Exercise as re-

lated to the constitution of the individual and surrounding conditions.

Imprudence in physical exercises. Imprudence in mental exertion.

The yearning of the city-bred for the country, and the indifference of

the country-bred to the country. The difficulty of combining a good

table with country life. The superiority of city people in hygienic

knowledge over country people. The moderate deployment of all the

faculties, with intervals of rest, the secret of enjoyable life.

CHAPTER II.

THE REGULATIVE LAW OF LIFE AND GROWTH,

The law of evolution. Popular errors as to the meaning of the law.

Erroneous impression given even in the "Encyclopædia Britannica."

General comparison between Lamarck's theory and Darwin's theory.

Darwin's own statement of his views. Brief history of the discussion

of evolution. Darwin's theory turns mostly upon the idea of a

struggle for existence, in which there is a survival of the fittest to

live under existing conditions. All races, nations, societies, indi-

viduals, are but evolutionary products. The moral as well as the

physical world is bound by the law.

CHAPTER III.

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NATURE'S EVIDENCE OF THE LAW OF LIFE AND GROWTH, . 43

Darwin's experiments with pigeons. The relations between varieties and

species. The adaptation of the eye in different animals to the require-

ments of their lives. Change shown by upland geese with webbed

feet. The introduction of the English sparrow into Philadelphia, and

one of its effects. Color associated with the constitution. Color

associated with the character of animals. The effects of sexual selec-

tion upon the constitution of animals. The courting of birds, and

how mates are won among the gallinaceous kinds. The rare case of

the female courting the male. The weapons of birds, and their ac-

quirement in different degress by the two sexes. Nature relinquishes

what is no longer of service to an animal, and hence we find rudimen-

tary structures remaining that have no function. The imperfection

of the geological record not sufficient to invalidate the theory of

evolution. The great miracle of universal, primeval law.

CHAPTER IV.

MAN'S SPIRITUAL PLACE IN NATURE,.

The chief obstacle to universal acceptance of the truth of the theory of evo-

lution. The law of evolution does not conflict with the teachings of the

Scriptures rightly read. The impossibility of accepting some things

in the Old Testament literally. The language of the Scriptures was

addressed to men from the stand-point of the physical knowledge that

they possessed. The presumption of the agnostic. The perfect com-

patibility of belief in the Scriptures with the doctrine of evolution.

Answer to the supposititious question of a materialist. Spencer's

and Darwin's idea of the evolution of the conscience not correct.

Darwin's singular incompetency in such discussions shown by a quota-

tion from his own writings. Dickens cited in support of the author's

view. Conscience to be regarded as a creation appearing at the epoch

of man's physical existence when the attribute could subserve wise

purposes.

CHAPTER V.

MAN'S PHYSICAL PLACE IN NATURE,

The difference between the educated man and the savage. Strange

similarities and dissimilarities to be observed in all manifestations of

life. The evident derivation of man from some type of being far

below the type that represents his present status in creation. Em-

bryonic traits. The likeness of the anthropoid apes to man. Different

types of brain conformation. Huxley's discussion of the similarities

between the brains of some of the anthropoid apes and that of man.

The human brain enormously larger than that of any ape. Dr.

Maudsley's remarks on some singular likenesses between the actions

of certain human beings with arrested brain development and those

of the lower animals. Darwin's conclusion from his examination of

the expression of the emotions by man and the lower animals It is

positively denied that man is descended from any existing type of ape

or monkey. The day will arrive when the subject will be examined

dispassionately, and man be glad to find himself the descendant of a

lower form, as giving the best promise for a glorious future in earthly

life.

CHAPTER VI.

PHENOMENA OF EVOLUTION IN THE PRESENT ERA,

Man's insane pride clouds his reason. He makes his God like unto him-

self. Scientific knowledge the best teacher of humility. The dis-

proved theory of past ages, that everything was made for man.

Perception of evolution is obscured by lack of perspective. Some

of the moral evolution of modern times. The times of the French

monarchy contrasted with our own. The physical, moral, and mental

worlds are all alike controlled by the law of evolution.

CHAPTER VII.

THE SENTIMENT OF THE BEAUTIFUL,

Is there a real physical beauty? Sense of beauty differs only on account
of difference in mental and moral endowments. The picturesque a
new sense of beauty as compared with many other species. What
constitutes the picturesque as contradistinguished from the ideally
beautiful. Final conclusions.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE SOURCE OF THE BEAUTY OF THE FAIR SEX,

Two causes chiefly concerned in producing the relative beauty of the fair

sex-the choice by men, to the exclusion of others, of the best-favored

women, and the sedulous manner in which the most enlightened

nations guard their women against physically degrading toil. The

beauty-producing prevalence of romantic love. The cause of the

relative beauty of women to that of men is sexual selection.

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CHAPTER IX.

THE EFFECT OF

PHYSIQUE,

Comparison of the forms of army and navy recruits, to show that different
kinds of life have the effect of changing parts of the body. The Union
infantry marching as compared with the marching of the Confederate
infantry. The differences between the Sioux and the Apaches. The
change that takes place in men upon being subjected to military drill.
The effect of West Point drill upon the cadets. The desirability of
calisthenics for girls, if they have no opportunity of taking the natural
exercises. The use of the dancing-master. Change in physique in
California within a very short period after its occupation. Change in
the physique of the Englishman within quite modern times. Change
in the Frenchman. Changes in the immigrant shortly after landing at
The little feet of

New York. The Chinaman's walk and shoes.

China. Conclusions.

CHAPTER X.

GRACE THE CROWN OF BEAUTY, .

Form and movement together constitute the highest beauty. The poten-

tial movement of Greek statues as compared with the stolidity of those

of Egypt. Gracefulness among the lower animals. Only in the human

form do grace and symmetry combined reach the highest point of

beauty. The gracefulness of Rachel, the French actress, and of Miss

Terry, the English actress. The unity of effect in conjoined beauty

and grace. Grace depends primarily upon the co-ordination of the

nervous system with the well-shaped form. One of the best criterions

Curvilinear movement

of gracefulness found in its expression of ease.

the condition of gracefulness. The difference between the sexes as to

their respective aptitude for certain movements of the body. A foot-

ball match by some young girls.

CHAPTER XI.

THE ART OF WALKING,

Mr. Finck's book on romantic love and personal beauty. His errors as to

the art of walking. His quotation of Dr. Thomas S. Ellis, in support

of his views. Dancing-masters as teachers of the mode of holding the

body. The question as to whether the feet in walking should be par-

allel or the toes should be turned out. Marching discussed as a mode

of walking. Dr. Ellis's opinion as to the value of holding the feet par-

allel, as affording the most secure base for the body refuted by con-

sideration of the facts. The reason why the American Indian and

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other savages walk with parallel feet. The proper degree to which
the feet should be turned out is dependent upon a number of con-
ditions specified. The rolling gait of the sailor. Directions for walk-
ing. The grace of little girls as compared with their movements when
no longer little girls. The reason for the change for the worse. Slow
movements of the body the severest tests as to gracefulness of person.
Montaigne's confirmation of that view. The carrying of water-jars
on the head conducive to gracefulness of bearing. Dr. Thomas S.
Ellis's monograph on the subject of the foot and walking. His idea
of the dome-like character of the two feet constraining one to adopt
the mode of walking with parallel feet. His idea of the best position
of the great toe for the backward thrust from the ground in propelling
the body. Test by the facts observable in the movements of profes-
sional dancers. The military mode of marching.

CHAPTER XII.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE AMERICAN GIRL, .

The motive in women's dressing for adornment. The dressing of Ameri-

can women as compared with that of foreign women. Cases of want

of discretion in women, in not modifying fashions to suit their forms.

Beauty of the American woman as compared with that of the French

woman. Béranger's comic old grandmother. Carlyle on dress. A

retrospect of fifty years in the matters of fashion. The change in the

American from simplicity to luxury. The simultaneous improvement

in hygienic practices. What the Countess of Jersey says on the same

topic in the Nineteenth Century. The concomitant social change

among Americans. The main proportions of the female form. Ele-

gunce as shown by the characteristic length of limb. The beauty of

the female bosom. The bosom as found among some low, savage

tribes. Warning against the pretensions of quacks to change the

bosom. Dressing with relation to the form. The vulgarity of tight

shoes and tight gloves. General disuse of tight-lacing. The per-

nicious effect of tight-lacing. Beauty of person and grace incompati-

ble with tight-lacing. The wearing of tight shoes prejudicial to grace

and destructive of the feet. The blonde and brunette types of female

beauty. The condition of Spain during historical times fully accounts

for the beauty and the particular gracefulness there existing. History

of the country from the earliest times of which we know anything

down to the present. The American has not yet a distinct racial type.

The conditions which will probably make of the American the hand-

somest type of the world.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE SKIN AS AN ORGAN OF THE BODY,

Description of the formation of the skin. The sense of touch. The case

of Laura Bridgman, who knew all that she had acquired through the

sense of touch. The effect of the skin in imbibing oxygen and liber-

ating carbonic-acid gas and many other products. The pernicious

effects of not attending daily to the evacuation of the bowels. Dr.

Franklin's air bath. Odors given out by certain glands as the effect of

abnormal secretion and disease, and intensified by want of cleanliness.

Odor among the lower animals. Man should, by his personal habits,

prove that he does not belong to them. The waste and repair of the

body. What is necessary to the health of the skin.

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