How to Read Human Nature: Its Inner States and Outer FormsAtkinson, William Walker
Science
How to Read Human Nature: Its Inner States and Outer Forms
Atkinson, William Walker
Character; Personality; Phrenology; Physiognomy
All the several mental Qualities manifest in the voice, in tone, pitch
or feeling. The Emotive Qualities give the affectionate voice;
Self-Esteem gives the confident voice; Approbativeness gives the voice
of affectation and conceit; Combativeness gives the "let me alone" tone;
Destructiveness gives the "get out of my way" note; Cunning and
Acquisitiveness give the tone of deceit and flattery; and so on, through
the entire scale. In studying voices it will help you to ask "What
Quality or Qualities produce this voice?" in each case. Study the
voices of those whose characteristics you know, and then apply the
experience to others whose characteristics are unknown.
LAUGHS
Laughter is full of the expression of character. One may often
accurately determine the character of a person whose face is not seen or
known. A hearty laugh is indicative of sympathy, companionship and
general sociability, as well as a well developed sense of humor. A
giggle is indicative of pettiness, trifling and general mental
light-weight. The repressed laugh shows self-control and often caution
and cunning, the tone denoting the difference. The vulgar "haw-haw"
denotes a correspondingly gross nature. The peculiar shrill, rasping,
parrot-like laugh of the courtesan is typical, and when ever heard
should act as a note of warning. It is difficult to state in words the
various qualities of the laugh, but each is distinctive and well
expresses the Quality causing it. It may be said that each and every
mental Quality has its corresponding note in the laugh, which note may
be learned and recognized by a little practice and actual observation.
THE HAND-SHAKE
The manner of shaking hands is indicative of the characteristics of the
individual. Handshakes may be divided into three general classes, viz,
(1) the hearty handshake, which indicates good-feeling, earnestness, and
interest; (2) the mechanical handshake, which denotes indifference, lack
of feeling, and lack of interest; and (3) the selfish handshake, which
denotes cunning, heartlessness, and desire and disposition to take
advantage of the other party. There is a "something" in the handshake
which is almost impossible to express in words, but which is recognized
instinctively by those having Human Nature well developed. It is more of
a "feeling" of certain Qualities manifested by the other person. A
little thought and attention paid to this subject will tend to develop
this recognition on the part of one deficient in it. One may, with a
little practice, learn to distinguish between the honest and the
dishonest; the moral and the immoral; the active and the passive; the
energetic and the slothful; the grasp of good-fellowship, and that of
superciliousness; the friendly and the antagonistic; the candid and the
deceitful; and all the other various kinds of handshakes. Mental states
manifest in outer form in handshakes as in many other physical actions
and appearances.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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