GRAPHOLOGY
CHARACTER FROM HANDWRITING
MORE or less consciously, _every one_ is a reader of handwriting! If we
have not devoted thought and study to the subject, we merely gather a
vaguely favorable, or unfavorable, impression from the first letter
written to us by a new acquaintance, and store it up with the other
impressions we have already gleaned from their personality.
When, however, time and thought are given to the fascinating cult of
Graphology, it will be found to reward its students, by letting a
thousand little sidelights on to character--and if the most “proper
study of mankind is man,” then assuredly is Graphology a most helpful
adjunct to that end.
One must crawl before one can walk, and learn the alphabet before one
can master a language, therefore an impulsive learner must not grow
disgusted because his laborious reading of a handwriting is disjointed,
and may be obviously unlike the writer. By the time he can read a
character from a letter, _without gathering a word of that letter’s
sense_--which is what every graphologist worthy the name can, and _does_
do--he will have come to see how one sign outweighs or counterbalances
another, and so learn to read a human character from a sheet of paper
and the more or less erratic tracings of a pen.
As a home entertainment, any amount of fun is to be got out of it. One
unfailing source of amusement is to notice how all are willing vaguely
to accept the ownership of every failing save the one you ascribe to
them.
The jealous girl is “perfectly horrid,” she knows. But she certainly
“isn’t jealous.” The lazy man is “bad tempered, perhaps,” but “no one
could call him indolent.”
Friends and relations will, however, be ready to assure you of the
correctness of your delineation.
The first thing to notice when studying character from handwriting, is
the _direction_ of a hand. Is it even, upward, or tending to meander
down the page? The even hand suggests honesty, conscientiousness, and a
calm, well-balanced nature. The upward hand tells of will power and
ambition, cheerfulness and energy. The hand that slopes downward tells
of a timid and weak nature, depression and melancholy. It must always be
remembered, however, that temporary ill-health, and even a temporary
wave of depression, will frequently alter the direction of a hand.
Sometimes a beginner is puzzled by the varying direction--now upward,
now downward--of a hand; generally this betokens a mind struggling at
the time with adverse circumstances or ill-health.
Capital letters and terminals are both important. The more clearly
formed and beautiful the letter, the more refined and artistic the
nature.
The graphologist picks out certain letters as being especially
important--_M_, _A_, _L_, and _D_ in the capital letters. The small _d_
and _e_ in terminal letters are certainly the most important.
THE PRINCIPAL LETTERS
Taken in alphabetical order, the following are the principal letters to
study:--
_A._ Well made, and simple in outline, indicates refinement, gentleness,
intelligence, perhaps poetic feelings. Flourishes are always bad, and
tell of pretension and egotism. If a small _a_ is unjoined--open-mouthed
as it were--the subject is something of a gossip. This also applies to
the small _o_.
[Illustration: Artistic--refined--loves poetry.]
[Illustration: Selfish and egotistical.]
_B._ This is a letter that frequently tells of ostentation and kindred
failings. If the small _b_ is well looped, look for an affectionate
nature.
_C._ A well-rounded _C_ shows a kindly, perhaps indolent nature. A curly
tail suggests selfishness and egotism.
_D._ The small _d_ is very truth-telling. A small _d_ united to the
letter following shows a good sequence of ideas. Too much flourish tells
of an ill-balanced imagination.
_E._ The capital letter shows egotism, even as the letter _C_ does, in
the curled back tail. A long tail to the small _e_ tells of imagination,
good-nature, ardor; if exaggerated, carelessness.
_M_ is the next really important letter--in some respects _the_ most
important. The first high loop means ambition, pride, discontent. A big
flourish to the termination shows egotism; a moderate one force of
character.
_T_, or rather the particular method of crossing the _T_, is always of
immense interest to the graphologist. Energy, strength of will, temper,
perseverance, obstinacy, may all be shown or found to be lacking. The
thickly crossed _T_ indicates energy; the little hook back at the end,
perseverance; a thick abrupt ending, temper. Impulsive people cross
their _T_’s high. Those who make long bars are energetic and quick in
thinking.
[Illustration: Egotist.]
[Illustration: Force of character.]
[Illustration: Quick-tempered, willful and persevering.]
Wide spacing between lines suggests extravagant tastes; accompanied by
rounded terminals to the letters, good-nature and generosity.
Short tails and a tendency to make as much as possible out of a sheet of
paper, show the opposite characteristic.
MISLEADING SIGNS
It cannot be too emphatically impressed on the beginner, that it is
fatal to judge from one sign alone. Study them all ere you commit
yourself to an opinion; above all, study the signature.
A specimen for delineation should always consist of about six lines,
_not_ of copied matter. It must be written on unlined paper, and have
the writer’s usual signature attached.
Never attempt to gather anything from an envelope, as one is so often
asked to do. Like copied matter, or indeed anything written specially to
order, it is hopelessly misleading.
Flourishes always show a certain vulgarity of mind. A small and graceful
one after the signature--particularly in the case of a woman--is,
however, quite pardonable, and is indicative merely of love of praise
and appreciation. Thick and heavy marks of punctuation are one of the
signs of a passionate nature. Caution and careful attention to detail
are shown by stops between initials and after the signature, the careful
crossing of _T_’s and dotting of _I_’s. Frank, impulsive natures seldom,
if ever, close their _A_’s and _O_’s.
[Illustration: Benevolent--kind-hearted, very refined, a poor one at
keeping a secret, devoted to those she loves.]
Tender-hearted people invariably slope their writing, and make long
tails and loops. The critic divides his letters. The orator and writer
invariably join theirs, and carry them on from word to word, even as the
sequence of their thoughts follows on.
[Illustration: Suggests an affectionate nature--one who would be greatly
influenced by his friends! Critical--rather impulsive; a good worker at
things he likes. Loves beauty and can keep his own counsel.]
As a general rule, the more charmingly clear the handwriting, the more
straightforward and cultivated the person. _Eccentricity_, however,
naturally mars many of the cleverest hands.
It will perhaps simplify matters for the student, if a list is compiled
of the principal human virtues and failings, and the means of
discovering them by the handwriting, described:--
_Ambition._--This is shown in the upward tendency of the hand. Should
will power be lacking, expect discontent.
_Business._--A businesslike person is always to be recognized by the
care of such details as stops, spacing, crossing of _T_’s, the general
air of law and order in the hand. Look for perseverance and will power
to insure success.
[Illustration: Diplomatic, lacking in will power, possessing extravagant
tastes, greatly influenced by the opposite sex.]
_Brutality._--Thick, heavy, ungraceful handwriting, impulsive and
lacking in intelligence.
_Candor._--Clear, well-spaced lines and open rounded letters. Well and
firmly crossed _T_’s.
_Caution._--See _Business_.
_Coldness._--Upright hand, closed up letters, no graceful “loop.”
_Criticism._--This is often found allied to a good sequence of ideas.
The separated letters of criticism and the carried on _T_ crosses, &c.,
betray the quick thinker.
_Deceit._--This is always indicated by the screwed-up, badly-formed
letters, that run into one another; lines uneven, and words that trail
off into a mere scrawl.
_Determination_ is shown by the firmly crossed _T_, and the general
firmness of the whole handwriting.
_Eccentricity._--Always betrays itself in a weird signature. Economy,
short tails; careful hand, short terminals.
_Egotism._--Look for a flourish--for the curl back in capital _C_’s and
_E_’s; for the curled back small _d_.
_Extravagance._--Wide margins and spacing, a rounded, rather flourishing
hand; few stops; generally somewhat thick. Compare other signs.
_Fun._--The love of fun is usually indicated by quaintly-rounded
terminals and oddly shaped, and often rather illegible capitals.
_Generosity._--Curled up terminals, bounded hand, _M_’s and _N_’s
written like _U_’s.
_Honor._--Even handwriting; might almost have been written over lines.
_See_ Candor; and for honesty also.
_Imagination._--Good capitals; small _d_’s joined to following letter
bear a hurried look; flying crosses to _T_’s.
_Indolence._--Bounded hand; short terminals.
_Intelligence._--Shown by the small attractive hand; clear and firm good
capitals.
_Jealousy._--A weak hand; sloping, long-looped, flyaway _T_’s; egotistic
_C_’s.
_Loyalty._--Of course you cannot expect to find much character in
handwriting until the age of seventeen or so, but the lad who is loyal
to his friends and his sense of duty--the typical Boy Scout’s hand, for
example--will ever be found firm and boldly ascending the sheet.
_Melancholy._--Downward tendency, not only to lines but even words.
_Music._--Look for imagination, tenderness, and refinement.
_Neatness._--Easily to be seen.
_Obstinacy._--Heavy; crushed down as it were on an imaginary line;
thick.
_Originality._--Imagination marked; unique capitals and flourishes.
_Pride._--The exaggerated first loop to the _M_.
[Illustration: Possesses good sequence of ideas; clever, vivacious,
good-natured and devoted.]
_Perseverance._--Clear running hand; well crossed _T_’s, with little
hook to end their crossing.
_Selfishness._--Upright hand, generally heavy.
_Sensitiveness._--A very sloped, rather weak, and long-looped hand.
_Temper._--Thickly crossed, flying _T_’s; uneven and rather angular
handwriting.
_Truth._--See _Candor_.
_Vanity._--Look for flourish beneath signature.
_Will Power._--Straight thick little bar under signature; thickly
crossed _T_’s; purposeful-looking hand; no return to tails of _G_’s and
_Y_’s.
In conclusion, one might truthfully say that the more closely one
studies the handwriting of one’s friends, the more converted must one
become to the belief in Graphology. Go slowly. Compare carefully.
Remember always that human beings inevitably suffer from the faults of
their qualities, therefore search and you will be rewarded by the
enthusiasm of those to whom you give your delineations.
[Illustration: Very intelligent, quick-tempered, imaginative, impulsive,
very refined, generous, yet knows the value of money.]