Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-10-27

The Romans. ruder more given to the
search for power than beauty, endowed
equally their Jupiter and their Mars with
the characteristics of their type of mas
culine perfection. A frame huge enough
and limbs gross enough to bear the
weight of utensils of war was to them
the first essential for admiration and its
accompaniment Of worship. When the
men of the Northland hailed as hero-god
Thor the Thunderer, wielder of the ham,
mer, they gave the stamp of a later day
and dominant race to the requisite OF
power. The vitality of the Viking blood
has been such that in the veins of descen-
dant Tueton and Anglo-Saxon, the belief
In the supremacy of muscle has contin-
ued to run down even to the present.
The perfect man as Photographed in
the average man is still the big man, the
Charles Sumner, the Wendell Phillips.
Size is somehow associated with the ideal
type of manhood that it is doubtful if all
the attempted teaching of science will
ever be able to change the accepted
standard, the man of at least six feet.
Science has indeed risen to battle art, but
In tradition. whether it be Green, Roman
or Morse. the latter has a weapon more
potent than that of any possible array of
facts and figures.
Physiology has made the discovery that
there is no type of perfect man; that
twelve men, varying each an inch in
every one be an example of proportion
atefy perfect manhood. The popular
creed can, however, never receive this as
q truth. Measurements and proportions
DO not appeal to the respect of the
commonality. Place a man of six feet by
the side of the man of five feet five and
nave them walk down the street together.
However certain you may be that the
shorter man is built exactly as he should
De, and that he is on a reduced scale the
counterpart of his giant companion, he
OF less inches will appear insignificant.
me big man is the type, and other per-
Iectf0ns must be judged proportionately
and Arbitrarily by him. Even the average
VI the developed type fails to inspire the
respect We give to the one really abnor-
mai The greater height is indeed less apt
70 De true organically. but in the dignity
.ne tendency is to lose thought of the
lurking defects.
the athletic and Christian associations
we're the first to make the discovery that,
aIt and popular faith to the contrary.
.nere was no type of perfection. Since,
however, the first day when the gymnas-
.ic tneory that there was no type was
taiue down. the instructors have labored
nard to inculcate the principle in the
minds OF all whom they trained. Their
reasoning was almost noble
II there is no type of perfection" they
n nas each man can be developed to
d 20 they taught: labored. made charts
tables. and today any man, looking
Eehart and table, can tell wherein he is
ncient and what he must do to De per-
me insurance companies have likewise
u .o,.sa part. though unconsciously, in the
tphIting Below is given the fundamen-
.aL MDie of proportions to the limits of
ok to
~ ~ oe entitled to the respect attendant
upon fullest development. The figures are
,nvreiy OF height and weight the maxi
ho;. average and minimum of the latter
Eao. sht Weight Mini