The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-18
A STUDY OF HANDS.
Their Gestures and Movements Indications
of Character.

of Character.
From the French of Eugene Mouton.
There are very striking relations between the
expression of the face and the part played by the
hands. Careful observations will reveal the fact
that impassive face is never to be seen in the
same person whose hands are enthusiastically
active In gestculation; nor is highly expressive
face ever seen in those whose hands are always
moJlonless. OF course, every man makes more
or less gestures; of course, character, education
habit, race. all have more less influence in re-
gard to the expressiveness of gesture; but these
same influences invariably affect the play of the
features also, and show themselves in a similar
manner
Before attempting to enter into any analysis
of the movements of the hand however, we
must lay down one general rule, viz, that usual
ly the activity of the hands, as well as the mob-
ity OF the physiognomy (outside of all special
influences OF character or surroundings is an
almeFt certain sign of cerebral activity and con-
sequently Of intelligence. We often meet in So
ciety persons who can never remain minute
without handling something. or who keep NOV
ing their fingers all the time if they have moth.
ing to handle: such persons are nearly always
persons of great intelligence. Their hands irri-
tated by inaction, are like those fine thorough
breds who paw the ground with impatience to
begin the race. And it is highly importa MT to
notice this tendency in children, for it augurs
we'll for their future intelligence.
In regard to the movements of the hand we
can classify according to few general princi-
pl es.
Whatever tends to open, to spread out the
hand, signifies clearness, breadth, truth, sim
plicity facility.
Whatever feeling causes the hand to clench
itself, to close, to diminish its appearance, is
connected with obscurity. limitation doubt,
complication, difficulty.
The energetic and rapid these move
ments 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 q person." to designate malice
The gesture OF designation, of warning, of pre-
cision, indicated by more or less tension of the
index fingers are too well known to dwell upon.
We press the fingers fat upon the forehead to
recall memory; the open hand to concentrate
thought. We rub or scratch the forehead in
trying to think how to get out of difficulty;
man often scratches his ear when he feels en-
barrassed. And as one scratches also when
bothered by flea, the saying, He's got flea
III his ear, is applied to a man who does not
know what to do.
To finger ones chin, to caress it often in sue
cession, expresses in common belief delibera-
ton, the search for means to fulfill purpose
Finally, to rub ones hands together-a sign of
joy--has passed into common parlance Use fratter
les mains) as an expression indicative of Joy,
seifcongratulation. The same thing may be
said of clapping the hands, which has always
anu dfiiohS Ill people Oeeu accepted as Jno sign
and the metaphor of enthusiasm. The swapping
of ones fingers is also a mark of JOY. fThe
Latin verb applaudere signlfed originally ito
strike tho hands together.
To put ones thumb to ones nose (fare la
miguel while the other fingers are vertically ex
tended and agitated; is gesture of mockery
among nearly all civilized people Why? I
think it is because the principal effect of this
gesture is to render the nose temporarily
snubhed-which is done by the pressure of the
thumb, while the other fingers are pointed at
the person ridiculed, ''Snubnose! snubnosew
that is the Interpretation of this inger-teegram.
which is equivalent to saying You are fooll'
1t is also interesting to note-as vestige of
antique beliefs that have long ago disappeared
in France-the gesture, which consists in re-
tanning the two middle fingers with the thumb,
and holding up the index and little fingers
what we call ''faire les cornes." The children
who use the gesture for pure mischief or de-
rision doubtless never suspect that they are re-
peating an ancient sign OF adjuration to drive
away evil spirits, to conjure the Evil Eye.
This gesture is still very popular in Italy, es
pecialy at Naples where many folks believe
themselves hopelessly lost if they had not about
them little amulet of horn, or little carved
hand with stwo fingers oped, to preserve them
from the ieltatura