30 COMPAEISONS OF STRUCTURE EN AOTMALS. 



continually interfere witii each other, and their 

 action would be clumsy and constrained ; all 

 the nicer and more delicate operations would 

 be performed with awkwardness ; and instead 

 of assisting each other, they would impede 

 each other in every rapid and skilful move- 

 ment or application. When, however, the 

 fingers are folded down upon the palm, the 

 tips are brought nearly to a level, and also 

 when made to grasp a ball. In grasping the 

 hilt of a foil, they are likewise brought to a 

 level, but their direction is obhque, resulting 

 from the peculiar manner in which it is held ; 

 and in this mode other instruments, as the 

 knife, the poker, and variotB articles, are 

 handled. It is a mode in which firmness is 

 conjoined with ease and address. 



As an organ of touch, the perfection of the 

 human hand is owing, in a great measure, to 

 its admirable structure as an instrument of 

 prehension. The sense of feeling is indeed 

 diffused over every portion of the external 

 surface of the body, which is capable of 

 receiving impressions from contact, and 

 changes of temperature ; but the hand alone 

 is strictly the organ of touch, and is peculiarly 

 fitted for ascertaining the figure, consistency, 



