Nature's revelations of character; or, physiognomy illustratedA description of the mental, moral and volitive dispositions of mankind, as manifested in the human form and countenance . that the people living along thebanks of the river Thomeras used to have hard, sharp,and very long nails, with which they killed fish,and cut soft wood, as they had not learned the use FASHION; OR, MAN DEFOR]VrED BY ARTIFICIAL MEANS. 519 of iron. Even now there are people in China whoW€ar their nails so long that they can use them insteadof forks, or rather chopsticks. It is said that the nail issometimes as lon
Nature's revelations of character; or, physiognomy illustratedA description of the mental, moral and volitive dispositions of mankind, as manifested in the human form and countenance . that the people living along thebanks of the river Thomeras used to have hard, sharp,and very long nails, with which they killed fish,and cut soft wood, as they had not learned the use FASHION; OR, MAN DEFOR]VrED BY ARTIFICIAL MEANS. 519 of iron. Even now there are people in China whoW€ar their nails so long that they can use them insteadof forks, or rather chopsticks. It is said that the nail issometimes as long as the finger on which it grows. Theremust, of course, be unusual strength in such nails, or theywould break off with use long before they attained sucha size (fig. 26). We have heard of coloured ladies in Demeraa whocultivated long tapenng nails, to shew that, through theindulgence of their temporary husbands, they were utterlyexempt from every kind of work. There is reason, suchas it is, in this fashion, which is more than can be saidfor most of those we are describing. To come nearer home. Our own countrywomen—ye%and some of the men—have in various ages believed that. Fiff. 27.—MIKS Tight-laced. Youngmau, there is a hfe-tinie of miserytied up iu tliis waspish form. Fig. 2S.—Natural waist. Herereside health, joy, and love. 520 FASHION; OR, MAN DEFORMED BY ARTIFICIAL MEANS. a wasp-like smallness of waist was a great beauty. Anyone above two score years of age can recollect that beforehe was in his teens, and for some time after, the ladiesgenerally, and those among the men who were calleddamlies, used, especially on high occasions, to strive withmight and main to lace their too tight stays as close aspossible; the effect of which was not only an appearanceobviousl}^ artificial, and very ridiculous (see fig. 27), buta condition of present pain and future danger. Thousandswere sent to an early grave by this pernicious custom;the vital parts not having sufficient room
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectphysiognomy, bookyear
