474 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



cises, his muscular sense is refined, and lie becomes aware of a 

 series of new sensations which remain unknown to those who have 

 never handled tools. In this way we account fairly well for im- 

 portant modifications which are produced in the movements by 

 education. 



Absolute muscular force, measured by the dynamometer, soon 

 reaches its maximum, and, if we limit ourselves to this gross 

 measure, we shall have but a false idea of physical perfection- 

 ment. It is not, in fact, in the absolute measure of muscular 

 force that a great modification is to be found, but in the aptitude 

 for producing a large sum of work with moderate fatigue and an 

 economical expenditure of force. This refinement is produced in 

 the nervous centers ; through attention sustained by the will, 

 through the frequent repetition of well-defined muscular acts, we 

 are able to reach the point of suppressing useless contractions 

 in the desired movement, and bringing into play only a portion 

 of the muscles which were at first contracted in a mass. To this 

 intelligent distribution of the central nervous excitation in the 

 co-operating groups are added a more perfect tact in appositeness, 

 a surer realization of the direction of the intensity and the dura- 

 tion of the contractions, and a greater promptitude in grasping at 

 once all the conditions of the effort. Thus is realized a perfection- 

 ment of the motor organs which is manifested externally by ad- 

 dress, agility, and sureness of movements, and closely touches upon 

 the higher qualities confidence in one's strength and courage. 



Education should not only be applied to movements of precis- 

 ion, but it ought also to have in view economy in the expendi- 

 ture of nervous excitation and mechanical labor ; it ought to tend 

 to reduce useful contractions to a minimum, and in the end to 

 induce automatism by steadily diminishing the part played by 

 attention, which is absolutely necessary in the beginning. Thus 

 the performing musician is not born a virtuoso ; he reaches per- 

 fection of execution on condition of frequently repeating the 

 same exercises. To acquire perfection of skill, he seeks to obtain 

 equality in the motions of his fingers, ease of hand, arm, and the 

 whole body. He performs the details of a cadence slowly, quick- 

 ens it progressively, and thus becomes able at last to maintain 

 accuracy in lively movements. Associations of the nervous cells 

 are doubtless produced in his system, which render easy and 

 automatic certain muscular co-operations that were at first insur- 

 mountably difficult. The visual perception in the musician comes 

 at last to be translated immediately into a movement of the 

 fingers without any effort of the attention. In the boxer or the 

 swordsman, the slightest manifestation of his adversary's inten- 

 tion produces an instinctive determination which is at once re- 

 vealed in the attitude. 



