THE STROKE AND TIME OF GESTURE.

The Colloquial.-It is these simple actions of pronation and supination that constitute "colloquial" gesture. The forearm from the elbow furnishes all actions necessary for the "colloquial." The stroke of the gesture on the particular word, or accentuated syllable, is marked by the hand in its different degrees of force and feeling in the sentiment expressed; a turn of the hand, or change of position or elevation, will be sufficient to express the necessary transitions. They must be analogous to the impressions of the voice, or those sentiments you would illustrate or force. The stroke of the gesture should be to the eye what the inflexions of the voice are to the ear, or they lose their force and effect; they must be made with the words, neither precede nor follow them.

If we say, "Come here," or "Go there," with the gesture before or after the words, it is ridiculous. The action and word must be simultaneous. Genius alone can violate this law. Such, however, is the force of nature, that we cannot go far wrong in the colloquial, as they are the actions most in use in daily life, and nobody but soldiers and sailors on duty stand bolt upright and move automatically. To be perfectly motionless whilst speaking words of force and pathos deprives them of their natural and necessary support, and renders them more or less ridiculous. So, also, do

gestures that are unnatural and unsuitable; they must be akin to the words and passions, otherwise they counteract and destroy them.

As we have pointed out, the arm should move easily, with the hand loose and fingers open, chiefly from the elbow (in the colloquial), and not raised to the shoulder till you approach the rhetorical. Separate the arm from the body; do not forget to move the upper arm, whose action is outwards. Great care must be taken to keep the elbow from inclining to the body-only to move with sense and taste-to avoid the picturesque in this class of motions, which are voluntary, and should be vivacious.

Palms always up for appeals, supplications, requests. Palms down for warnings, deprecation, repulsion.

Either arın moving to the extent of a third of a circle, below the shoulder, one at a time, the other balancing gracefully from across the body to the highest point (Fig. 26).

For passions that incline us to advance towards each other, as love, desire, anger, revenge, the corresponding arm and leg must advance together, otherwise the figure would be distorted and ungraceful; and in repellent actions they retire together.

We now approach the hands, which are the last to determine the action of the arm. The upper arm arrives first, then the forearm and hand; the wrist must be flexible and pliable, and the hand must fall from it and hang down until the last moment of determination. The positions and motions of the hand are so numerous and varied that it is almost impossible to

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enumerate and describe them all. Quintilian considered them as "numerous and copious as words themselves," a sort of universal language. "Do we not demand, promise, call, dismiss, threaten, supplicate, express abhorrence and terror, also question and deny? Do we not express by them joy and sorrow, doubt, confession, repentance, measure, number, and time? Do they not encourage, restrain, convict, admire, respect? and in pointing out places and persons, do they not discharge the office of adverbs and of pronouns? So that in the great diversity of languages which obtains among all kingdoms and nations, theirs appears to me the universal language of all mankind."

Other authorities say:

"The hands assist the speaker."—Vossius.

"Without the hand, no eloquence."-Cresollius.

"The hand may properly be called a second tongue."

The brother of St. Basil said that:

Artemidorus.

"Had men been formed without hands they would never have been endowed with an articulate voice."

"Contention, play, love, revels, change, and rest,

And truth, and grace, are by the hand expressed.”

True it is that the hand without the aid of language has produced many and wonderful effects.

We quote thus to impress the necessity of study on all who would be graceful and expressive. We may broadly consider that all motions with the hands should emanate and make their points of departure and arrival, as it were, from the zones.

22. THE MENTAL ZONE

23. THE MORAL ZONE

24. THE VITAL ZONE.........

.......Is from the chest upward; the scat of conscience, honour, manhood, self-respect, expression.

.The region of the heart where the affections predominate. .Below the waist; seat of the appetites, gustativeness.

Motions towards or from the different "zones" of the body indicate the various sentiments we would

express:

25. TOWARDS THE BODY ............For pride, self-esteem, ego

26. FROM THE BODY

27. EXPANDING MOTIONS.......

tism, invitation, remembering the zone.

For repulsion, blighted love, command, according to zone. .Express candour, liberality, space, distance, open-heartedness, freedom, boldness, selfpossession.

28. CONTRACTING MOTIONS .........Meanness, frugality, reserve,

29. RISING MOTIONS

30. FALLING MOTIONS

31. SUDDEN MOVEMENTS

displeasure, grasping, diffidence, constraint.

.Express appeal, veneration, hope, expectation, response. .........Completion, declaration, finality.

Express fright, ineditation, doubt, listening, indecision, discovery.

32. RIGIDITY OF THE MUSCLES ...Generally indicates strength,