IV 



NOSES 



Some may think that I have chosen a trivial subject, 

 and they will look for frivolous treatment of it. 

 I can only hope that they will be disappointed. 

 There is nothing that the progress of science has 

 taught us more emphatically than this — that we 

 must call nothing insignificant. Seemingly trivial 

 pursuits have led to discoveries which have benefited 

 all mankind, and priceless truths have been dug 

 out of the most unpromising mines. I am not 

 insinuating that anyone's nose is an unpromising 

 mine, but I say that I am persuaded there is wisdom 

 hidden in that organ for him who will observingly 

 distil it out. 



It possesses a peculiar and mystical significance 

 not shared by any other feature. This is abund- 

 antly proved by common speech, which is one of 

 the most trustworthy of all kinds of evidence. For 

 example, we speak of a person turning up his nose 

 at a good offer. The phrase is absurd, for the power 

 of turning up his nose is one which no human being 

 ever possessed. A shrew can do it, but not a man. 

 Yet the meaning of the saying needs no interpreta- 



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