The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-09-05
A STUDY OF HANDS.
The Meaning and Significance of the Uses
of the Hand.

The meaning and significance OF the Uses
of the Hand.
The true character of the hands is to
be sought for in their movements. 1t
is ir their power of expression that the
orator, the singer, the actor find the
inexhaustible source of their finest eff
forts. In prayer, in pain, IN joy-when
man commands, or when he suppli-
Gates hands uplifted, lowered or
lowering in space, seem to be sowing
his thoughts in air, just as grain is scat
tered to the winds by the sower.
In all our social relations is not the
hand the veritable medium of exchange
between hearts? 1t gives the welcome,
it opens hospitality, it seals friendship !;
it is by the hand that we convey the
visible sign Of the bond which unites
two affections or two destinies.
Before attempting to enter into any
analysis of the movements of the hand,
however, we must lay down one gen.
eral rule, viz: That usually the ac-
tivity of the hands, as well as the mo-
bility of the physiognomy (outside of
all special influences of character or
surroundings is an almost certain sign
of cerebral activity, and consequently
of intelligence. We often meet in So
ciety persons who can never remain a
minute without handling something, or
who keep moving their fingers all the
time If they have nothing to handle 4;
such persons are nearly always persons
of great intelligence. Their hands, irri-
tated by inaction, are like those fine
thoroughbreds who paw the ground
with Impotence to begin the race.
And it is highly important to notice
this tendency in children, for it augurs
well for their future intelligence.
In regard to the movements of the
hand, we can classify according to a
few general principles.
Whatever tends to open, to spread
out the hand, signifies clearness, breadth
truth, simplicity, facility.
Whatever feeling causes the hand to
clinch ITSELF to close, to diminish its
appearance, is connected with obscur-
ity, limitation, doubt, complication,
difficulty.
The more energetic and rapid these
movements are the more violent and
sudden the feeling or the intellectual
action which inspires them.
There are certain gestures which
have become so identified with certain
sentiments that their mere definition is
equivalent to verb. We say "show
ones fist" for threaten - we say
"point ones finger at person." to
designate malice. The gestures of des-
ignation, of warning, of precision, in
Dictated by more or less tension of the
index finger, are too we'll known to
dwell upon.
We press the fingers flat upon the
forehead to recall a memory the open
hand to concentrate thought. We
rub or scratch the head in trying to
think how to get out of difficulty a
man will often scratch his ear when he
feels embarrassed. And as one scratches
also when bothered by a flea, the say
ing, "he's got flea in his ear" is ap-
piled to man who does not know
what to do.
To finger ones chin, to caress it
often in succession, expresses in COM
mon belief elaboration, the search for
means to fulfill purpose.
Finally to rub ones hands together
a sign of joy-has passed into common
parlance as an expression indicative OF
JOY, self congratulation. The same
thing may be said of clapping the
hands, which has always end among all
peoples been accepted as the sign and
the metaphor of enthusiasm. The
swapping of ones fingers is also a mark
of JOY.
Agony also has its gestures-the au