04 ANIMAL MECHANICS 



thighbone round in walking with much greater 

 power than if the head of the bone were on a line 

 with the shaft. They, in fact, acquire a lever 

 power, by the distance of D from A; as, during 

 the action of these muscles, the limb is stiff, the 

 rolling of the thigh directs the toe outwards in 

 walking. 



When the weight of the body is perpendicu- 

 larly over the ball of the great toe, the whole 

 body is twisted round on that point as on a pivot. 

 This rolling of the body on the ball of the toe, 

 and consequent turning out of the toes in step- 

 ping forward, is necessary to the freedom and 

 elasticity of the motion. The form of all the 

 bones of the leg, and the direction of all the 

 muscles of the thigh and leg, combine to this 

 effect. So far is it from being true, as painters 

 affect to say, that the turning out of the toes is 

 the result of the lessons of the dancing-master. 



A certain squareness in the position of the feet 

 is consistent with strength, as we see in the 

 statues of the Hercules, etc. ; but the lightness of 

 a Mercury is indicated by the direction of the 

 toes outwards. In women, there would be a de- 

 fect from the breadth of the pelvis, and a rolling 

 and an awkward gait would be the consequence ; 

 but in them the foot is more turned out, and a 

 light, elastic step balances the defect arising from 

 the form of the pelvis. Any one may be con- 



