HANDWRITING.
Many books have been recently published on the subject of ‘Character
by Handwriting,’ but they are not very descriptive in detail, although
the theories and rules for character-describing by this means are both
clear and decided.
It is now no longer the rule to teach children to write entirely by
the aid of set copies, as was the case with our forefathers, who wrote
after one approved pattern, which children copied as nearly as possible
from the original set for them; therefore characteristic peculiarities
were longer in asserting themselves, and what is now considered a
‘formed’ handwriting was not developed till late in life.
There were, and still are, two divisions or classes of handwriting--the
professional and the personal; with the first the action was
mechanical, and exhibits few, if any, traces of personality. Yet even
in the oldest manuscripts there are certain defined characteristics
plainly shown. The handwritings of historical and celebrated personages
coincide to a remarkable degree with their known virtues and vices, as
criticised and detailed by their biographers.
As the art of writing became general, its form varied more and more,
becoming gradually less formal, and each person wrote as was easiest to
himself. Education, as a rule, has a far from beneficial effect upon
handwriting; an active brain creates ideas too fast to give the hand
time to form the letters clearly, patiently and evenly, the matter, not
the material, being to the writer of primary importance.
So, as study increased among all classes, writing degenerated from its
originally clear, regular lettering into every style of penmanship.
Of course a child’s writing resembles only the copy-book, of which it
is supposed to be an exact imitation; soon, however, the round curves
sharpen, the disconnected letters join without any breaks in the words;
the even lines and distances are no longer so carefully measured and
considered; eccentricities of style creep in, with sundry loops and
twirls, giving the whole a grown-up appearance--a decided individuality
of its own.
If the subject of handwriting as a test of character is carefully
studied it will be found that immediate circumstances greatly
influence it: anxiety or great excitement of any kind, illness or any
violent emotion, will for the moment greatly affect the writing. From
handwriting the doctor can hazard an opinion as to the mental state
of his patient. In all cases of paralysis the writing is temporarily
affected, and the patient is usually at first deprived of the power
of writing; when the mind recovers its consciousness and the muscles
their strength, the power returns, but with a feebleness not formerly
observed. Writing depends upon so many things--a firm grasp of the pen,
a pliability of the muscles, clearness of vision and brain-power--even
the writing materials, pens, ink and paper, all make a difference. It
is not strange, then, that with so many causes upon which it depends,
writing should be an excellent test of temperament and bodily health.
Any school-teacher or head of a college, through whose hands a large
correspondence passes, usually contracts a habit of forming conclusions
as to the mental and moral calibre of the writers, their social status
and natural bias of disposition. A round, childish handwriting is said
to show conceit and self-satisfaction. Ignorance and conceit are often
closely linked together. The uneducated generally have a very good
opinion of their own personal qualifications. The most youthful form of
writing is not, therefore, indicative of talent or general capacity,
and seldom shows any originality.
All needless flourishes and ornamentation are the result of egotism
and vanity. But be it remembered that any virtue exaggerated at
once becomes a fault; that whereas a little conceit is necessary to
stimulate ambition, the same in too great excess becomes egotistic
vanity. Genius is apt to overestimate its own depth and originality,
yet without any self-appreciation there is danger of a lack of effort;
despair prevents perseverance, and is a bar to any success.
Excitability, hastiness, and impatience are all seen in the handwriting
at a glance. A quick brain suggests words and sentences so fast, one
upon another, that though the pen races along the page it cannot
write down the ideas quickly enough to satisfy the author. With a
calm, calculating disposition this frantic haste is neither known
nor understood--such persons do not rush to conclusions, but ponder
over every subject. Intuitive perception in the excitable person
becomes judgment in a tranquil mind. Temper depends upon temperament.
The crosses of the letter ‘t’ are the index whereby to judge of it.
If these strokes are regular through a whole page of writing, the
writer may be assumed to have an even-placed temper; if dashed off
at random--quick short strokes, somewhat higher than the letter
itself--quick outbursts of anger may be expected, but of short
duration, unless the stroke is firm and black, in which case great
violence may safely be predicted.
Uncertainty of character and temper is shown by the variation of these
strokes to the letter ‘t’. Sometimes the cross is firm and black, then
next time it is light; sometimes it is omitted altogether, varying
with each repetition of the letter like the opinions and sentiments
of an undecided person. The up and down strokes of the letters tell
of strength or weakness of will; gradations of light and shade, too,
may be observed in these strokes. The sloping Italian handwriting of
our grandmothers is just what might be expected from women refined and
sensitive, grounded in several branches of study, well educated as a
whole, but not especially so in any one particular line. The absence of
any self-assertion is very strongly marked. The independence of their
granddaughters can be traced in every line and stroke of their pens.
Little or no distinction is observable between the writing of young
men and women nowadays. Even the graphologist dare scarcely hazard an
opinion as to the sex of the writer, but indulges in vague wording,
avoiding any direct use of personal pronouns.
Capital letters tell us many points of interest. By them originality,
talent, and mental capacity are displayed, as well as any latent
vulgarity or want of education. There are two styles of capital
letters at present in use. The high-class style employed by persons of
education is plain and often eccentric, but without much ornamentation.
The other may be called the middle class, for it is used by servants
and tradespeople having a fair amount of education, mingled with a
good deal of conceited ignorance and false pride. With these last
the capital letters are much adorned by loops, hooks, and curves,
noticeable principally in the heads of the letters or at their
commencement. Perhaps, for purposes of character delineation, it will
be better to give the characteristics, pointing out the style and form
of the letters peculiar to each.
Plain, neatly-formed handwriting shows an orderly mind, the result of
education. The whole tendency of education is to regulate the mind and
restrain the impulses. Education checks conceit, for the more anyone
knows, the more aware does he become of the wide amount there is to
be learnt, and how little is the knowledge possessed by the cleverest
scholars in the world.
It will generally be found that with writing having much resemblance, a
characteristic similarity also exists; therefore, to become proficient
as a graphologist, a careful study must be made of the writings
of those whose whole life and character, together with personal
peculiarities, are intimately known and understood, and from this
conclusions may be drawn and rules arrived at for future use.
Affection is marked by open loops and a general slant or slope of
the writing. A hard nature, unsympathetic and unimpressionable, has
very little artistic feeling or love of the fine arts; therefore the
same things which indicate a soft, affectionate disposition will also
indicate poetry, music, and painting, or one or other kindred subjects.
The first of these accompanies a loving, impulsive nature; with music
the impulse is replaced by perseverance; for natural genius cannot
expand without patient study. In painting three things are absolutely
necessary to produce an artist. Form, colour, light and shade--all
these three will influence the writing; but art of any kind is very
complex. Success implies a certain degree of ambition, and consequent
upon it is vanity and egotism; hence the artist’s signature is
generally peculiar and often unreadable, from its originality, egotism,
and exuberance of creative power.
Imagination and impulse do not tend to improve handwriting. The
strokes are too erratic, and the capital letters never follow the
copy-book pattern. Over-haste is visible in every line. A warm-hearted,
impulsive person feels deeply and passionately at the moment of
writing, and dashes off the words without regard to the effect they
will produce upon the reader. What is generally lacking is judgment
and the power of analytical thought. These important qualities may be
detected in disjoined words, which here and there may be seen even
with a handwriting in which impulse and sequence of ideas are leading
characteristics. The writer has evidently paused to think, although
unaware of it himself. These breaks give a power of criticism, combined
with clearness of intellect. Without breaks no common-sense is found,
but if they appear too often it shows a wearying and needless worry
over trivial details, and self-torment as to the opinions of other
people.
Truth and straightforwardness give even lines running across the
page and regular distances from one word to another. Tact is very
essential. This quality requires often slight deceptions to be allowed
or practised, white lies, or delusive silence; hence an unevenness in
the writing is observed. It is a deviation, although slight, from the
path of truth, and here and there the letters rise or fall below the
lines. Untruthfulness gives greater unevenness still; but do not rush
to conclusions on this point, for an unformed handwriting shows this
peculiarity very often, being merely due, not to evil qualities, but to
an unsteady hand employed in work to which it is unused.
Very round even writing in which the vowels are not closed, denotes
candour and openness of disposition, with an aptitude for giving
advice, whether asked or unasked, not always of a complimentary kind.
Blunt, crabbed writing suggests obstinacy and a selfish love of power,
without thought for the feelings of others. True selfishness gives
every curve an inward bend, very marked in the commencement of words or
capital letters.
Perseverance and patience are closely allied. In the former the
letter ‘t’ is hooked at the top, and also its stroke has a dark
curved end, showing that when once an idea has been entertained no
earthly persuasion will alter or eradicate it. Such writers have
strongly-defined prejudices, and are apt to take very strong dislikes
without much cause.
Calmness and patience also are frequently linked together--more often
in later life, when adversity has blunted the faculties, or the dull
routine of uneventful existence has destroyed all romance. Then the
writing has short up-and-down strokes, the curves are round, the
bars short and straight; there are no loops or flourishes; the whole
writing exhibits great neatness and regularity. Economy of living,
curiously enough, is marked by a spare use of ink. The terminals are
abrupt and blunt, leaving off short. Where economy is the result of
circumstances, not disposition, only some of the words are thus ended,
while others have open, free curves, and the long letters are looped.
Generosity and liberality may be seen likewise in the end curve of
every word. Where these characteristics are inconstant and variable,
the disposition will be found to be uncertain--liberal in some matters,
while needlessly economical and stingy in others.
[Illustration]
A person fond of society writes the capital letter ‘M’ with the three
upper curves on the same level. If the tail of this letter is carried
far below the line, there is vulgarity of mind and imperfect education.
Bars used instead of stops are the result of caution. The writer fears
lest his sentences should be misinterpreted by being run into each
other. When a bar is placed below the signature, it means tenacity
of purpose, coupled with extreme caution; perhaps, also, a dread
of criticism and adverse opinions. No dots to the letter ‘i’ means
negligence, a want of attention to details, with but a small faculty of
observation. When the dots are placed at random, neither above nor in
proximity to the letter to which they belong, impressionability, want
of reflection, and impulsiveness may be anticipated.
Ambition and gratified happiness give to the whole writing an upward
tendency. Hopefulness lacks the firmness of ambition, and appears only
in the signature which curves upwards, while the rest of the writing is
impulsive, without much firmness.
Sorrow gives every line of the writing a downward inclination.
Temporary affliction will at once show in the writing: a preoccupied
mind, full of trouble, cares little whether the letter then written
is legible or neat; hence the writing is erratic, uncertain, and the
confusion of mind is clearly exhibited in every line. Irritable and
touchy persons slope the flourishes only, such as the cross of the
letter ‘t’ and the upper parts of the capital letters. When the capital
letters stand alone in front of the words, and the final letters also
are isolated, it betokens great creative power and ideality, such as
would form an author and clever writer.
The most personal part of a letter or document is, of course, the
signature, but alone it is not a safe guide to character. The lines
placed below or after it tell a great deal more than the actual name.
A curved bending line, ending in a hook, indicates coquetry, love of
effect, and ideality.
An exaggerated, comma-like form of line means caprice, tempered by
gravity of thought, and versatility of ideas.
An unyielding will--fiery, and at the same time determined--draws a
firm hooked line after the name.
A wavy line shows great variety in mental power, with originality.
Resolution is shown by a plain line; and extreme caution, with full
power to calculate effect and reason a subject from every point of
view, is shown by two lines and dots, thus----:----.
To sum up the matter briefly, it will be observed that a clever person
cares very little about the form of his writing--it is the matter alone
which concerns him; whereas, with a limited brain-power, great care as
to appearance is taken. But human nature is never a simple combination
of elements, it is dependable upon a complexity of changes and chances.
It is said that with everyone a complete change takes place every seven
years. Motives and circumstances all leave decided marks upon the
character and mind of an individual. Not perhaps for years will innate
virtues or vices become apparent, which have lain dormant, awaiting
circumstances to develop them.
A collection of any person’s old letters is very curious. Written from
earliest childhood to extreme old age, a veritable life’s history lies
in the faded ink; and to study character from handwriting fairly it can
only be done from such authenticated examples.
Old letters written two or three hundred years ago are of great value
for the purpose, because, so far as they are concerned, all party
spirit and prejudice is dead, buried, and forgotten. Their biographers
no longer fear the consequence of a too candid and personal account,
and are therefore more likely to give a just and calm criticism of
character, weighing evenly in the balance both virtues and vices.
With historical characters it is curious to contrast the contemporary
biographies with the graphologist’s opinion of their handwriting, given
without knowing whose the writing was.
Any collection of old MSS. is interesting, as showing the various
styles of writing in vogue at different periods. Fashion or
circumstances had some influence on this point. Royal marriages with
foreign princesses brought England into contact with different nations.
Wars in strange lands introduced alien words into our vocabulary,
some of which speedily became naturalized, while others, voted slang,
remained only for a short while and then disappeared. New words are
constantly being coined, and take the place of others. This may seem a
trivial matter, and irrelevant to the subject of old writing, but any
points bearing on the subject must throw new light upon it and help to
elucidate it.
The personality of a writer can never be wholly separated from his
works. And in any question of date or authenticity of a document being
called in question, the value of graphology and its theories will be
found of the utmost importance; for the various changes in the style of
handwriting, or in the spelling of words, although perhaps so minute
and gradual as seldom to be remarked, are, nevertheless, links in a
chain which it would be extremely hard to forge successfully so as
to deceive those acquainted with the matter and well versed in its
peculiarities.
Marked characteristics are noticeable in the old Black Letter MSS. of
the early days before printing, and the authenticity of a deed, etc.,
may be decided by some slight peculiarity in its lettering.
[Illustration]
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