The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-07-06
The Custom Of Hand.Shaking.

How did people first get into the habit Of
shaking hands? The answer is not far to seek,
In early and barbarous times, when every
savage or semi-savage was his own lawyer
Judge, soldier and policeman, and in default Of
all other protection, two friends or acquaintanl
ces, or two strangers desiring to be friends OF
acquaintances when they CHANGED to meet,
offered each to the other the right hand-the
hand alike of offence and defence, the hand
that wields the sword, the dagger, the club, the
tomahawk, or other weapon of war. Each did
this to show that the hand was empty, and that
neither war nor treachery was intended: A
man cannot we'll stab another while he is en-
gagged in the act of shaking hands with him;
unless he be double-dyed traitor and Villains
and strives to aim cowardly blow with the
left, while giving the right and pretending to
be on good terms with his victim. The custom
of hand-shaking, prevails, more or less, among
all civilized nations, and is the tacit avowal
of friendship and goodwill, just as the kiss Is
of warmer passion. ais .3ls5
Ladies, rs every one must have remarked,
seldom or never shake hands with the cordiali<
ty of gentlemen; unless it be with each other,
The reason is obvious. 1t is for them to rel
ceiye homage, not to give it, They cannot be
expected to show to persons of the other sex
warmth of greeting, which might be misinter-
preted unless such persons are very closely
related to them by family, or affection; In
which cases, hand-shaking is not needed, and
the lips do more agreeable duty.
Every man shakes hands according to his
nature, whether it be timid or aggressive, proud
or humble, courteous or churlish, vulgar or res
fined, sincere or hypocritical, enthusiastic 6f
Indifferent: The incest rcfinenents and idio-
syncrasies of character may not perhaps be
discoverable in this fashion, but the more sali-
ent parts of temperament and individuality
may doubtless be made clear to the understand.
ing of most people by better study OF what l
shall call the physiology or the philosophy OF
hand-shaking.
To present the left hand for the purpose Of d
friendly greeting is piece of discourtesy-
sometimes intentional on the part of superiors
in rank to their interiors, and an act that no
true gentleman will commit. There is no rea-
son why it should be considered more diseouf-
teous than it would be to kiss the left cksek
instead of the right, but, doubtless, the custom
that makes the right hand imperative in all
sincere solutions dates from those early times
when hand-shaking first begun and the hand
| that shook or was shaken in friendship was OF
necessity weaponless. The poor left hand that
one would think ought to be of IS much yalus
and strength as the right, just as the left foot
or leg, because they are both used equally; hzs
fallen into disrepute, as well as into compar9.
tive disuse, until it has become an accepted
phrase to say of any proceeding that is inana.
picious, artful, sly, or secretly malicious, thaS
| it is "sinister"-that it is left-handed.
| To shake hands without removing the giose
| is an ctof discourtesy, which, if uhintentidnM
and thoughtless, requires an apology for the
hurry or inadvertance which led to it. This
| idea would also seem to be an occult remnant
| of the old notion that the glove might coliceal
| weapon. Hence, true courtesy and friend-
ship required that the hand should be naked
as proof of good faith.
To refuse pointedly to shake hands with ons
| who offers you the opportunity in q friendly
manner amounts to declaration of hostility.
And after q quarrel-or act of open hostility
the acceptance of the hand offered is slike tbs
sign and ratification of peace.-AA the Year
ROnnH