The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-07-24
Pretty Hands and Feet.
Language and Expression Of the
IHands..I'he Poetry of
the Feet.

In the varied phases of life all tn
graceful and pleasing attitudes assumed
by women are characterized by the move
ment Of the hands. Many gestures o
the fingers only have language so tru,
that it appears expressive. We know
that hand held or given has expressed
a greater emotion than could have been
made in a long discourse. The primitive
quality OF beauty is comparative small
ness. A lady's hand is considered more
graceful if under the usual size. If il
has soft forms and pure outlines, fingers
long, delicate, flexible, round and taper.
ing toward the ends; if the dimples over
the joints are marked by faint reliefs and
shadows, and the wrist softly rounded
and joined to a moderately long and ia
pering arm, it is more delicate and femi-
nine. Slender, nervous, white, slightly
veined with blue, with the hollow ROSY
and delicate, the nails transparent, they
belong to the patricians.
Hands are infinitely varied. Their
shape, tint, the nails, length, width.
roundness, are as different as individuals
There are hands that seem intellectual
in their symmetry, beautiful in fexi-
bility and grace of motion. Some are
soft and voluptuous, and others precise.
striking and brilliant The form of the
hand often expresses the capabilities of
the person to whom it belongs. The
strong palms, conical fingers and small
thumb indicate in woman Incidence, fam
cy and feeling. The square hands be-
long to the intellectual and ambitious.
and those who love influence and rule.
The small, soft, almost heshless hands,
but rosy and with knotted fingers. are
brilliant and witty. Fingers delicately
squared at the ends, like those of English
women, love domestic life The small
thumb and fingers, broadened at the
ends, desire activity and a practical
knowledge Of the world. There are
smooth and knotted hands-to the first
belongs grace; to the second, reason.
Conical hands with pointed fingers obey
inspiration and worship the beautiful in
painting, poetry, romance and nature.
There are soft hands, more capable of
tenderness than of love, and dedicate
fingers that are formed for sensitiveness
and sympathy of touch, and made to
minister to pain and grief" hard hands
that know no tenderness, but are not ig-
norant of love; and trough hands that
the heart teaches and guides. and sof-
tens"
Listen to what palmistry reveals of the
female hand:
Women may be ranged under two
principal banners-under the one, those
with a large thumb, and those with a |
small thumb under the other The first |
are more intelligent than feeling, wise |
from history the other more feeling |
than intelligent, from romance. A wo- |
man with Il large thumb loves with re-
hection-less with the heart than the |
senses, but adds to her passion constancy !
and every mental charm. Women with |
small thumbs are not endowed with so |
high a principle of sagacity. So, love
with them is all their thought; but such |
is the charm attached to that powerful |
passion that there is no seduction equal |
10 it. Order, arrangement, symmetry
and punetuality reign without tyranny in
those dwellings governed by the gentle
economists with the square phalange and /
small thumb. Are you paying court to
a beautiful young lady with square pha-
langes? Equip yourself with good sense
and steadiness, reject all captivating airs
and eonfound not singularity with dis
tinction. In the number of her axioms
are these-silence is power, mystery an
ornament With women of a strong
palm, conical fingers and little thumb,
paint your language in glowing colors
They love that which dazzles, and theory /
has more power over them than logic.
Three things govern them-indoIence
fancy and feeling. They have in their |
hearts the prayer of the Corinthians adj |
dressed every morning to Venus: go,
goddess, grant that to-day | may do |
nothing unpleasing, and that l may say
nothing which may not be agreeable"
for to please is their chief care, and they
love as much being beloved and admired |
rs esteemed. Such were, doubtless. the
hands of the beautiful and triumphant
amazons of which the flying squadron of
Catherine de Medicis was composed. A
high-priest of palmistry tells us, /" Mime
Roland had beautiful large hands, indi
eating head full of poeticaI ideas and a
soul inclined to the ideal. She under
stood the beauty of passion and the self
sacrifice 1t imposed. At once stoical and |
impassionate, imperative and enthusiast
tic, tender and austere, she loved three
things with an intense love-country.
liberty and unity. By nature bold and
courageous, like the majority of women
of her type, she did not belle herself in
poverty, in greatness or on the scafold."
Queen Elizabeth was proud of the beauty
Of her hands. 1t is written that during
public procession to prayers she pulled |
her glove off her right hand, sparkling
with jewels, and gave it to kiss, as a
mark of particular favor, to Bohemian
Baron who had letters to present to her.
Diana of Poictiers features were regular
and classical, her complexion fauitless.
her hair of rich purple black, which
took golden tint in the sunshine; while
her teeth. her ankles, her hands, her
arms, her bust, were each the theme in
turn of the court poets. The hand of
George Sand is narrow, with pointed fin.
gers, delicate, smooth and elastic with.
out softness.
Parisienne is synonymous with slender
feet, narrow ankles and arched instap.
We learn every day that the small arch
ed foot is sign of nobility rule that |
admits of many exceptions. Generally,
the aristocratic foot is fine, slender, ner-
vous, delicate the foot plebian short |
and gross. The English have the fat
foot; the Russians have enormous feet, |
as heavily attached as those of an ele- |
plant. For this reason, it is said, q
kussian princess invented trained robes. |
1he American women are acknowledged