184 THE SPECIAL SENSES. 



fcernal objects. At the tips of the fingers, where touch is 

 most delicate, the skin rests upon a cushion of elastic 

 material, and receives firmness and permanence of shape 

 by means of the nail placed upon the less sensitive side. 

 Besides these favorable conditions, the form of the arm is 

 such, and its motions are so easy and varied, that we are 

 able to apply the test of touch in a great number of direc- 

 tions. The slender, tapering fingers, with their pliant 

 joints, together with the strong opposable thumb, enable 

 the hand to mold itself upon and grasp a great variety of 

 objects ; so that great as are the delicacy and grace of the 

 hand, it is not wanting in the elements of power. 



20. Its beauty and adaptation to the wants of man have 

 made the hand an attractive theme for philosophers. 

 They do not, however, always agree in their conclusions. 

 One has- the opinion that man has acquired his intelligence 

 and achieved his place as " lord of creation," because he 

 has this organ. Buffon, in effect, declares that with fingers 

 twice as numerous and twice as long, we would become 

 proportionally wiser; but Galen long ago took a more 

 reasonable view, when he taught that " man is the wisest 

 of animals, not because he possesses the hand ; but because 

 he is the wisest and understands its use, the hand has been 

 given to him; for his mind, not his hand has taught him 

 the arts." Another has well said, that " no one can study 

 carefully the human hand and fail to be convinced of the 

 existence of the Deity." 



21. The Sense of Touch. Touch is the simplest of 

 the senses. It is that which the child first calls into ex- 

 ercise in solving the early problems of existence ; and it is 

 that which is in the most constant use throughout life. 

 We are brought by the touch into the most intimate rela- 

 tions with external objects, and by it we learn the greater 

 number, if not the most important, of the properties of 



20. What special importance is attributed to the hand? 



2 1 . The simplicity of touch ? What does it teach us ? 



