484 THE HAND AS AN UNRULY MEMBER. 
Now what idea is suggested when we compare the hand 
and the foot in the manner first described? The whole 
foot points forward, and the sole faces downward and 
backward; the hand and fingers also point forward, and 
the palm faces downward and backward : at once we say 
the corresponding parts point in the same direction, they 
are parallel with each other ; and if the hand and foot are 
parallel, why, of course, the other corresponding parts in 
the two limbs are or ought to be so too. 
But here comes the difficulty. The other segments of 
the limbs are nof parallel, but the contrary; the thigh 
points forward, and the upper arm backward; the con- 
vexity of the knee looks forward, while the elbow pro- 
jects backward ; the forearm and the leg likewise point, » 
not in the same, but in exactly opposite directions. 
The upper parts of the limbs, then, suggest antagonism 
or oppositeness; the hand and the foot suggest parallelism. 
Which shall yield to the other? Shall the upper ses- 
ments of the limbs be so turned or twisted or viewed as 
to conform to the idea of parallelism, or shall the hand be 
supinated and the fingers made to point backward so âS 
to be in antagonism with the foot? This, as was said, 
brings the thumb on the outer side, and so into relation 
with the little toe. To this, the thumb objects, and the 
whole controversy rests between those who favor it ex- 
clusively, and those who are willing to pay some regard 
to the other portions of the limbs. 
The former lay great stress upon the functional supe 
riority of the thumb, upon its size and strength, and upon 
its constant usefulness at every age, from infancy to the 
time when the man has leisure to reflect upon its wonder- 
ful powers and the prominent part it takes in all the ope- — 
rations of the hand; and in view of all this, they ut3° 
