POPULAR ERRORS. 129 



reality, an ally of that system, and has the farther ohjection that it is 

 resorted to on the false assumption that the physical powers, and 

 feminine grace and figure of a child, may be con-ected or improved 

 by the forcible movement of her anns, and ^f her person, and that 

 thus the chest will become expanded, and the mischief done by the 

 twelve houi-s daily use of stays, and school restraints, be remedied 

 by the unzoned freedom of an evening's half-hour's gymnastics. 

 The truth, however, is, that although mechanical means may con- 

 tract the chest, no mechanical means can expand it ; and least of all 

 the forcible movement of the arms, which, when practised by yoimg 

 girls, is capable of becoming not only useless, but pernicious ; for it 

 is not in accordance with the corporeal stiucture, any more than it is 

 with the moral attributes and destiny of woman, that she should excel 

 in physical power; since every thing which unduly increases that 

 power, and calls it into exercise, takes from her a portion of that 

 grace and loveliness which are the natural and appropriate elements 

 of her strength. 



And now, in concluding the remarks which T have ventured to make 

 upon the errors brought under your notice, 1 must not omit to state 

 that they form only a very inconsiderable portion of these popular 

 errors relating to our physical economy which are in hourly operation 

 through the world for diminishing the comfort and increasing the 

 mortality of its inhabitants ; and while thus U'ansiently glancing at 

 them, I would emphatically urge upon all who would coiTect them, 

 that instead of presuming to counteract the course and directions of 

 nature, we should be the humble followers and students of her ; for 

 the more we study the woiks of nature as magnificently spread out 

 before us by their Divine Author, the more shall we be convinced of 

 the perfection of His plans and the truth of His laws, and of the 

 great duty we owe to Him, and to our fellow men, to study and obey 

 them. 



