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＇Illustration： Copyright； 1907； by the Whitman Studio
The Medallion
The bas…relief on the wall is a portrait of the Queen Dowager of Spain；
which Her Majesty had made for Miss Keller
To face page 22＇
I am told that the words I have just written do not 〃describe〃 the hands
of my friends； but merely endow them with the kindly human qualities
which I know they possess； and which language conveys in abstract words。
The criticism implies that I am not giving the primary truth of what I
feel； but how otherwise do descriptions in books I read； written by men
who can see； render the visible look of a face？ I read that a face is
strong； gentle； that it is full of patience； of intellect； that it is
fine； sweet； noble； beautiful。 Have I not the same right to use these
words in describing what I feel as you have in describing what you see？
They express truly what I feel in the hand。 I am seldom conscious of
physical qualities； and I do not remember whether the fingers of a hand
are short or long； or the skin is moist or dry。 No more can you； without
conscious effort； recall the details of a face； even when you have seen
it many times。 If you do recall the features； and say that an eye is
blue； a chin sharp； a nose short； or a cheek sunken； I fancy that you do
not succeed well in giving the impression of the person；……not so well
as when you interpret at once to the heart the essential moral qualities
of the face……its humour； gravity； sadness； spirituality。 If I should
tell you in physical terms how a hand feels； you would be no wiser for
my account than a blind man to whom you describe a face in detail。
Remember that when a blind man recovers his sight； he does not recognize
the monest thing that has been familiar to his touch； the dearest
face intimate to his fingers； and it does not help him at all that
things and people have been described to him again and again。 So you；
who are untrained of touch； do not recognize a hand by the grasp； and
so； too； any description I might give would fail to make you acquainted
with a friendly hand which my fingers have often folded about； and
which my affection translates to my memory。
I cannot describe hands under any class or type； there is no democracy
of hands。 Some hands tell me that they do everything with the maximum of
bustle and noise。 Other hands are fidgety and unadvised； with nervous；
fussy fingers which indicate a nature sensitive to the little pricks of
daily life。 Sometimes I recognize with foreboding the kindly but stupid
hand of one who tells with many words news that is no news。 I have met a
bishop with a jocose hand； a humourist with a hand of leaden gravity； a
man of pretentious valour with a timorous hand； and a quiet； apologetic
man with a fist of iron。 When I was a little girl I was taken to see＇A＇
a woman who was blind and paralysed。 I shall never forget how she held
out her small； trembling hand and pressed sympathy into mine。 My eyes
fill with tears as I think of her。 The weariness； pain； darkness； and
sweet patience were all to be felt in her thin； wasted； groping； loving
hand。
Few people who do not know me will understand； I think； how much I get
of the mood of a friend who is engaged in oral conversation with
somebody else。 My hand follows his motions； I touch his hand； his arm；
his face。 I can tell when he is full of glee over a good joke which has
not been repeated to me； or when he is telling a lively story。 One of
my friends is rather aggressive； and his hand always announces the
ing of a dispute。 By his impatient jerk I know he has argument ready
for some one。 I have felt him start as a sudden recollection or a new
idea shot through his mind。 I have felt grief in his hand。 I have felt
his soul wrap itself in darkness majestically as in a garment。 Another
friend has positive； emphatic hands which show great pertinacity of
opinion。 She is the only person I know who emphasizes her spelled words
and accents them as she emphasizes and accents her spoken words when I
read her lips。 I like this varied emphasis better than the monotonous
pound of unmodulated people who hammer their meaning into my palm。
Some hands； when they clasp yours； beam and bubble over with gladness。
They throb and expand with life。 Strangers have clasped my hand like
that of a long…lost sister。 Other people shake hands with me as if with
the fear that I may do them mischief。 Such persons hold out civil
finger…tips which they permit you to touch； and in the moment of
contract they retreat； and inwardly you hope that you will not be called
upon again to take that hand of 〃dormouse valour。〃 It betokens a prudish
mind； ungracious pride； and not seldom mistrust。 It is the antipode to
the hand of those who have large； lovable natures。
The handshake of some people makes you think of accident and sudden
death。 Contrast this ill…boding hand with the quick； skilful； quiet hand
of a nurse whom I remember with affection because she took the best
care of my teacher。 I have clasped the hands of some rich people that
spin not and toil not； and yet are not beautiful。 Beneath their soft；
smooth roundness what a chaos of undeveloped character！
I am sure there is no hand parable to the physician's in patient
skill； merciful gentleness and splendid certainty。 No wonder that Ruskin
finds in the sure strokes of the surgeon the perfection of control and
delicate precision for the artist to emulate。 If the physician is a man
of great nature； there will be healing for the spirit in his touch。 This
magic touch of well…being was in the hand of a dear friend of mine who
was our doctor in sickness and health。 His happy cordial spirit did his
patients good whether they needed medicine or not。
As there are many beauties of the face； so the beauties of the hand are
many。 Touch has its ecstasies。 The hands of people of strong
individuality and sensitiveness are wonderfully mobile。 In a glance of
their finger…tips they express many shades of thought。 Now and again I
touch a fine； graceful； supple…wristed hand which spells with the same
beauty and distinction that you must see in the handwriting of some
highly cultivated people。 I wish you could see how prettily little
children spell in my hand。 They are wild flowers of humanity； and their
finger motions wild flowers of speech。
All this is my private science of palmistry； and when I tell your
fortune it is by no mysterious intuition or gipsy witchcraft； but by
natural； explicable recognition of the embossed character in your hand。
Not only is the hand as easy to recognize as the face； but it reveals
its secrets more openly and unconsciously。 People control their
countenances； but the hand is under no such restraint。 It relaxes and
bees listless when the spirit is low and dejected； the muscles
tighten when the mind is excited or the heart glad； and permanent
qualities stand written on it all the time。
FOOTNOTE：
＇A＇ The excellent proof…reader has put a query to my use of the word
〃see。〃 If I had said 〃visit；〃 he would have asked no questions； yet what
does 〃visit〃 mean but 〃see〃 （_visitare_）？ Later I will try to defend
myself for using as much of the English language as I have succeeded in
learning。
THE HAND OF THE RACE
III
THE HAND OF THE RACE
LOOK in your 〃Century Dictionary；〃 or if you are blind； ask your teacher
to do it for you； and learn how many idioms are made on the idea of
hand； and how many words are formed from the Latin root _manus_……enough
words to name all the essential affairs of life。 〃Hand；〃 with quotations
and pounds； occupies twenty…four columns； eight pages of this
dictionary。 The hand is defined as 〃the organ of apprehension。〃 How
perfectly the definition fits my case in both senses of the word
〃apprehend〃！ With my hand I seize and hold all that I find in the three
worlds……physical； intellectual； and spiritual。
Think how man has regarded the world in terms of the hand。 All life is
divided between what lies _on one hand_ and on the other。 The products
of skill are _manu_factures。 The conduct of affairs is _man_agement。
History seems to be the record……alas for our chronicles of war！……of the
_man_oeuvres o