PERVERSION OF RACE CHARACTER 145 



man requires great care in distinguishing between 

 his artificial and natural appearance. For civilized 

 people have become so thoroughly used to the ex- 

 treme artificialities of the conventional kinds of 

 toilets and dress l that they are involuntarily 

 more impressed by alternations or deficiencies in 

 these than by slight physiological variations. Just 

 think how the absence of a necktie from a gentle- 

 man's attire, or of shoes and stockings from a 

 lady's feet, would startle the average conventional 

 person ! 



The bodies of civilized persons are usually con- 

 cealed by artificial coverings, and the head and 

 face are transformed by the toilet and the labors 

 of the barber and hair-dresser. These trifles, contrib- 

 uted by tailor, barber, and their like, can, however, 

 not indicate the manly characteristics in the nature 

 of a person — rather would excessive, punctilious 

 care bestowed on them be significant of absence of 

 these. 



Artificiality in externals is not confined, however, 

 to contemporaneous civilized people. It has been 

 practiced ever since history began by nearly all 

 those who could afford it, and even savages and 

 barbarians disfigure the natural beauty and dignity 

 of the human body by various familiar devices. 



Greek statuary and the comparatively naked 

 bodies of the natives of Africa, and of the coolies of 



1 The word "toilet" is used here to signify artificial changes 

 in the appearance of hair, head, face, etc., to distinguish these 

 from dress, which appertains to coverings for the body. 



