The weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1872-1882, 1874-03-14
THE HIND.
,s
BY JACOB ABBOTT,

! By JACOB ABBOTT.
The human hand is inferior
the corresponding member in Il
> case Of some Of the lower animals
as the forepaw of the cat, for Q.
. ample-in this respect ; namel
that the paw will do one thing muc
better than a hand could do il
! while. on the contrary, the hand ca,
by proper aids, be enabled to d
many things which the paw coul
by no possibility be able to do. Th
paw, with its sharp, curved claw
is much better fitted to catch mic
than dny hand. But the hand, wit
its soft and flexible fingers, ca
grasp a great variety of diferen
implements by which it can direc
and apply its force in a great man,
ways, and for the accomplishment
of a great many objects, which
would be utterly impossible for an,
set of claws.
Tools are only contrivances fo1
concentrating the force of the hanc
and arm, and applying it at the ex.
act points and in the exact name,
required for producing any wished.
for effect. If, for example, We wish
for any reason to make small per-
foration through a piece of paper,
we must contrive some way to con-
centrate the force at the point where
the perforation is to be made. II
we press upon the paper with the
whole hand, or even with the end
OF the finger, the force is difused
over too wide a space. The force
is sufficient, and more than suffi-
cient. It tears out a large and ir-
regular hole. Now what we wish
to do is to use the same force, but
by means Of tool-a pin, or nee-
die, or small awl, for example-to
concentrate it to a single point,
when the perforation is very easily
made.
This is the proper way, in phil
osophical point of view, for us to
consider the nature and design of
all tools; namely, as contrivances
for concentrating the strength of
the hand and arm, and applying the
force in that concentrated form ex-
actly where it is wanted to produce
The effect required. This effect is
generally to overcome the cohesion
between certain parts of the mate
:ial employed in the work, varying
# course according to the nature of
he operation.
If we wish. for example, to divide
board in two, or to cut off por-
ion at the end of it, we have to
'vercome the cohesion Of the parti-
les only along the line of the pro-
osed division. Now the unaided
ction Of the hand cannot gain 40
ess to this line so as to apply its
orce there and nowhere else. So
be workman takes thin blade with
utting teeth along one ed dge of it,
nd by this means he reaches the
arts the cohesion of which he
'ishes to overcome, without dis
1rbing the cohesion Of the neigh F.,
oring parts. We see, however,
lat this is in substance a mode of :
ansmitting the force Of the hand ,
I'd arm to the precise place where
is wanted, and applying it in .
'ncentrated form to the work re-
hired there.
It is the same with the operation a
planning, the object Of which is to y
ke off q thin shaving from the G
rface of the board; that is, to G
the cohesion which binds .
9 shaving to the substance Of the
ood below. To concentrate and
ply the force Alright in this case, .
blade with thin and sharp edge a,
fitted into q Block of wood in a q,
operly inclined position, and with n
opening through it for the shay {"
3 to pass out by as fast as it is 9,
parated by the overcoming Of the c.
hesion. Thus the blade of the
me conveys the strength Of tho