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History seems to be the record……alas for our chronicles of war！……of the
_man_oeuvres of armies。 But the history of peace； too； the narrative of
labour in the field； the forest； and the vineyard； is written in the
victorious sign _manual_……the sign of the hand that has conquered the
wilderness。 The labourer himself is called a _hand_。 In _man_acle and
_manu_mission we read the story of human slavery and freedom。
The minor idioms are myriad； but I will not recall too many； lest you
cry； 〃Hands off！〃 I cannot desist； however； from this word…game until I
have set down a few。 Whatever is not one's own by first possession is
_second…hand_。 That is what I am told my knowledge is。 But my
well…meaning friends e to my defence； and； not content with endowing
me with natural _first…hand_ knowledge which is rightfully mine； ascribe
to me a preternatural sixth sense and credit to miracles and heaven…sent
pensations all that I have won and discovered with my good right
hand。 And with my left hand too； for with that I read； and it is as true
and honourable as the other。 By what half…development of human power has
the left hand been neglected？ When we arrive at the acme of civilization
shall we not all be ambidextrous； and in our _hand…to…hand_ contests
against difficulties shall we not be doubly triumphant？ It occurs to me；
by the way； that when my teacher was training my unreclaimed spirit； her
struggle against the powers of darkness； with the stout arm of
discipline and the light of the manual alphabet； was in two senses a
hand…to…hand conflict。
No essay would be plete Shakspere。 In the
field which； in the presumption of my youth； I thought was my own he has
reaped before me。 In almost every play there are passages where the hand
plays a part。 Lady Macbeth's heart…broken soliloquy over her little
hand； from which all the perfumes of Arabia will not wash the stain； is
the most pitiful moment in the tragedy。 Mark Antony rewards Scarus； the
bravest of his soldiers； by asking Cleopatra to give him her hand：
〃mend unto his lips thy favouring hand。〃 In a different mood he is
enraged because Thyreus； whom he despises； has presumed to kiss the hand
of the queen； 〃my playfellow； the kingly seal of high hearts。〃 When
Cleopatra is threatened with the humiliation of gracing Caesar's triumph；
she snatches a dagger； exclaiming； 〃I will trust my resolution and my
good hands。〃 With the same swift instinct； Cassius trusts to his hands
when he stabs Caesar： 〃Speak； hands； for me！〃 〃Let me kiss your hand；〃
says the blind Gloster to Lear。 〃Let me wipe it first；〃 replies the
broken old king； 〃it smells of mortality。〃 How charged is this single
touch with sad meaning！ How it opens our eyes to the fearful purging
Lear has undergone； to learn that royalty is no defence against
ingratitude and cruelty！ Gloster's exclamation about his son； 〃Did I but
live to see thee in my touch； I'd say I had eyes again；〃 is as true to a
pulse within me as the grief he feels。 The ghost in 〃Hamlet〃 recites the
wrongs from which springs the tragedy：
Thus was I； sleeping； by a brother's hand。
At once of life； of crown； of queen dispatch'd。
How that passage in 〃Othello〃 stops your breath……that passage full of
bitter double intention in which Othello's suspicion tips with evil what
he says about Desdemona's hand； and she in innocence answers only the
innocent meaning of his words： 〃For 'twas that hand that gave away my
heart。〃
Not all Shakspere's great passages about the hand are tragic。 Remember
the light play of words in 〃Romeo and Juliet〃 where the dialogue； flying
nimbly back and forth； weaves a pretty son about the hand。 And who
knows the hand； if not the lover？
The touch of the hand is in every chapter of the Bible。 Why； you could
almost rewrite Exodus as the story of the hand。 Everything is done by
the hand of the Lord and of Moses。 The oppression of the Hebrews is
translated thus： 〃The hand of Pharaoh was heavy upon the Hebrews。〃 Their
departure out of the land is told in these vivid words： 〃The Lord
brought the children of Israel out of the house of bondage with a strong
hand and a stretched…out arm。〃 At the stretching out of the hand of
Moses the waters of the Red Sea part and stand all on a heap。 When the
Lord lifts his hand in anger； thousands perish in the wilderness。 Every
act； every decree in the history of Israel； as indeed in the history of
the human race； is sanctioned by the hand。 Is it not used in the great
moments of swearing； blessing； cursing； smiting； agreeing； marrying；
building； destroying？ Its sacredness is in the law that no sacrifice is
valid unless the sacrificer lay his hand upon the head of the victim。
The congregation lay their hands on the heads of those who are sentenced
to death。 How terrible the dumb condemnation of their hands must be to
the condemned！ When Moses builds the altar on Mount Sinai； he is
manded to use no tool； but rear it with his own hands。 Earth； sea；
sky； man； and all lower animals are holy unto the Lord because he has
formed them with his hand。 When the Psalmist considers the heavens and
the earth； he exclaims： 〃What is man； O Lord； that thou art mindful of
him？ For thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thy
hands。〃 The supplicating gesture of the hand always acpanies the
spoken prayer； and with clean hands goes the pure heart。
Christ forted and blessed and healed and wrought many miracles with
his hands。 He touched the eyes of the blind； and they were opened。 When
Jairus sought him； overwhelmed with grief； Jesus went and laid his hands
on the ruler's daughter； and she awoke from the sleep of death to her
father's love。 You also remember how he healed the crooked woman。 He
said to her； 〃Woman； thou art loosed from thine infirmity；〃 and he laid
his hands on her； and immediately she was made straight； and she
glorified God。
Look where we will； we find the hand in time and history； working；
building； inventing； bringing civilization out of barbarism。 The hand
symbolizes power and the excellence of work。 The mechanic's hand； that
minister of elemental forces； the hand that hews； saws； cuts； builds； is
useful in the world equally with the delicate hand that paints a wild
flower or moulds a Grecian urn； or the hand of a statesman that writes a
law。 The eye cannot say to the hand； 〃I have no need of thee。〃 Blessed
be the hand！ Thrice blessed be the hands that work！
THE POWER OF TOUCH
IV
THE POWER OF TOUCH
SOME months ago； in a newspaper which announced the publication of the
〃Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind；〃 appeared the following
paragraph：
〃Many poems and stories must be omitted because they deal with sight。
Allusion to moonbeams； rainbows； starlight； clouds； and beautiful
scenery may not be printed； because they serve to emphasize the blind
man's sense of his affliction。〃
That is to say； I may not talk about beautiful mansions and gardens
because I am poor。 I may not read about Paris and the West Indies
because I cannot visit them in their territorial reality。 I may not
dream of heaven because it is possible that I may never go there。 Yet a
venturesome spirit impels me to use words of sight and sound whose
meaning I can guess only from analogy and fancy。 This hazardous game is
half the delight； the frolic； of daily life。 I glow as I read of
splendours which the eye alone can survey。 Allusions to moonbeams and
clouds do not emphasize the sense of my affliction： they carry my soul
beyond affliction's narrow actuality。
Critics delight to tell us what we cannot do。 They assume that blindness
and deafness sever us pletely from the things which the seeing and
the hearing enjoy； and hence they assert we have no moral right to talk
about beauty； the skies； mountains； the song of birds； and colours。 They
declare that the very sensations we have from the sense of touch are
〃vicarious；〃 as though our friends felt the sun for us！ They deny _a
priori_ what they have not seen and I have felt。 Some brave doubters
have gone so far even as to deny my existence。 In order； therefore； that
I may know that I exist； I resort to Descartes's method： 〃I think；