J O H N B U L W E R
_________________________________________________________________from CHIROLOGIA: OR THE NATURAL LANGUAGE OF THE HAND
A
Corollary
of the
Speaking Motions, Discoursing
Gestures, or Habits of The Hand
With an
Historical Manifesto, Exempli-
fying the Natural Significations Of
Those Manual Expressions__________________________________________
Gestus IV: Admiror [I admire]
TO THROW UP THE HANDS TO HEAVEN is an expression of admiration, amazement, and astonishment, used also by those who flatter and wonderfully praise, and have others in high regard, or extol another's speech or action.
The first time that this expression appeared in the hand of man, was certainly upon occasion of some new unexpected accident for which they gave thanks to God who had so apparently manifested the act of his beneficence. And as it is a sign of amazement, 'tis an appeal unto the Diety from whose secret operation all those wonders proceed which so transcend our reasion, [and for] which, while we cannot comprehend, we RAISE OUR HANDS TO HEAVEN thereby acknowledging the hand and finger of God. And that this is a natural and so, by consequence, a universal expression of the hand, appears by the general use of this gesture with all nations. That passage of Catullus is well known: [wondering and lifting up his hands, he said this: good gods! etc.] To which intention of gesture Horace alludes:[The impatient one loves to be praised until, alas!
Lifting his hands up to Heaven, he says — .]To this appertains that of Cicero: [Hortensius marveling greatly, would often lift up his hands which he did continuously while Lucullus was speaking]. And that of his in another place: [Like Balbus, I raised up my hands so that it might seem something not merely fortuitous but divine]. And to this is referred that of Livy: [At this cry when a clamor had been raised with great speed, some embracing one another congratulated one another and others raising their hands to heaven! etc.].
back to Imagining Language supplement
[ page 1 of 5 ]