the Supine; but, to facilitate its use, the same series in Calisthenic Gesturings should be practiced, and with due care as to the difference in the turn of the hand at the completion of the gesture. In the Supine Hand, the ictus is made with the turn of the fingers toward the back of the hand; in the Prone, the gesture terminates with the turn of the fingers toward the palm. In the unfoldment of the arm, the movement begins with the upper arm, passes through the lower into the hand, and terminates at the fingers. FRONT SERIES-r. h. p. f. :– 1. Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return. OBLIQUE SERIES-r. h. p. o. : 1. It was this morning that the sun rose bright upon his hopes-it sets upon his grave. d. imp. 2. Peace, dreamer! thou hast done well. h. 3. The stars went out, and down the mountain gorge a. the wind came roaring. LATERAL SERIES-r. h. p. 1. : 1. The wind died away into a perfect calm. d. 2. And the death-angel flaps his broad wing o'er the Benledi's distant hill. ind. BACKWARD-OBLIQUE SERIES-r. h. p. b. o. : I. But she, With the flash of a glance, had shown to me d. Might strive to be. 2. Away! slight man. h. 3. His voice was heard amid the thunderings of Mount Sinai. a. BOTH HANDS PRONE. FRONT SERIES-b. h. p. f. : 1. I saw the corse, the mangled corse ! d. 2. On horror's head, horrors accumulate! h. 3. And, having wound their loathsome track to the top of this huge, moldering monument of Rome, hang HISSING at the nobler man below! a. OBLIQUE SERIES-b. h. p. o. : 1. Sons of dust, in reverence bow ! d. 2. The veil of night came slowly down. h. 3. Hung be the heavens with black! LATERAL SERIES-b. h. p. 1. :— a. 1. When a great and good man dies, the people are overwhelmed with grief. d. 2. Sorrow mantles the whole earth. h. 3. Let the triple rainbow rest o'er all the mountain tops. a. Besides the Supine and Prone Hands, there are the following: THE VERTICAL HAND. The signification of this Hand is partly embodied in the Prone; but a close analysis of the two shows a difference. The prone hand casts down, puts under. The vertical repels, puts away. 1. Back, BACK! I say! Face me not, villain. v. h. 2. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 4. Away, AWAY! and follow me not! v. b. o. h. BOTH HANDS VERTICAL. To the front, denotes abhorrent repulsion or fear; to the oblique, the same, but more general-the danger less imminent; to the sides, expansion, disruption, dispersion. The preparation for most of the lateral vertical hand gestures, is the crossing of the hands over the breast, with palms turned outward. 1. The gate is burst; a ruffian band v. o. h. Rush in, and savagely demand, 2. Angels and ministers of grace, defend us. v. o. a. 3. Bursts the wild storm of terror and dismay. v. 1. h. THE INDEX HAND. The Index Hand, as its name implies, indicates. It not only points out and designates particular persons and objects, but, analogically, calls attention to particular ideas. While the Open Hand is used to extend the idea, the Index Hand is used to limit it. Compare the following : 1. Let us examine the whole subject before us. b. h. o. h. 2. Now let us look more closely at this particular point. THE CLINCHED HAND. ind. The Clinched Hand is employed in very emphatic assertion, in fierce denunciation, and in vehement expression of the more violent passions of the mind. If energy in gesture be regarded as consisting of three degrees, then "the Open Hand would express the first degree, the Index Hand the second, and the Clinched Hand the third degree." 1. Let us do, or DIE ! cli. 2. Thy THREATS, thy MERCIES I DEFY ! cli. 3. You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! cli. rep. BOTH HANDS CLINCHED intensifies the expression. 1. And I'll taunt you with my latest breath, and FIGHT you till I DIE. b. h. cli. r. h. cli. 2. I've had wrongs to stir a fever in the blood of age, And make the infant's sinews strong as steel. b. h. cli. 3. The strength of brass is in your toughened sinews. b. h. cli. 4. The compassion of an assassin who feels a mo r. h. cli. mentary shudder as his weapon begins to cut. b. h. cli. Besides the foregoing, there are the following Hands that have special significations in the expression of thought and feeling. HANDS CLASPED. [Fingers interlaced and closed.] The Clasped Hands is the language of distress. The hands are employed thus in supplication, earnest entreaty, agony, and in despair. They are brought to the breast, carried up, down, out, or in any direction the emotion dictates or impels. 1. For heaven's sake, Hubert, let me not be bound! cla. f. h. 2. O, my son Absalom! my son, my son Absalom! cla. f. h. imp. Would God I had died for thee, O, Absalom, my son, cla. f. a. my son! cla. f. d. cla. f. h. HANDS FOLDED. In this the fingers of one hand are all placed between the thumb and fingers of the other, the thumb of the right hand crossing that of the left. This position of the hands is regarded as expressing humility and selfabasement, and is sometimes used in very earnest sacred address. |