criminal psychology-第31节
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The close relation of the contraction of the brow with its early stage； a slight elevation of the eyebrows； is manifest in the fact that it occurs under embarrassmentnot very regularly but almost always upon the perception of something foreign and inexplicable； or upon getting twisted in one's talk； in fact； upon all such conditions which require greater physical and psychical clearness of vision； and hence the shutting out of superfluous light。 The expression may be important on the face of a defendant who asserts；e。 g。 that he does not understand an argument intended to prove his guilt。 If he is guilty he obviously knows what happened in the commission of the crime and thereby the argument which reproduces it； and even if he assures the court a hundred times that he does not understand it； he is either trying to show himself innocent or wants to gain time for his answer。 If he is innocent it may be that he really does not understand the argument because he is unaware of the actual situation。 Hence he will frown and listen attentively at the very beginning of the argument。 The guilty person perhaps also aims to appear enormously attentive； but he does not contract his brow； because he does not need to sharpen his glance； he knows the facts accurately enough without it。 It is important for the penologist to know whether a man has in the course of his life undergone much anxiety and trouble； or whether he has lived through it carelessly。 Concerning these matters Darwin points out that when the inner ends of the eyebrows are raised certain muscles have to be contracted （i。 e。 the circular ones which contract the eyebrows and the pyramidal muscle of the nose； which serve both to pull down and contract the eyelids）。 The contraction is accomplished through the vigorous drawing together of the central bundle of muscles at the brow。 These muscles； by contracting； raise the inner ends of the brow； and since the muscles which contract the eyebrows bring them together at the same time； their inner ends are folded in great lumpy creases。 In this way short oblique； and short perpendicular furrows are made。 Now this； few people can do without practice； many can never perform it voluntarily； and it is more frequent among women and children than among men。 It is important to note that it is always a sign of spiritual pain； not physical。 And curiously enough it is as a rule related with drawing down the corners of the mouth。
Further to study the movements of the features will require an examination into the reasons for the action of these； and not other muscles； as accompaniments of the psychical states。 Piderit holds it is due to the fact that the motor nerves which supply these muscles rise right next to the purely psychical centers and hence these muscles are the supports of the organs of sense。 The latter is no doubt correct； but the first statement is rather doubtful。 In any event it is evident that the features contain an exceptionally large number of fine muscles with especially rich motor capacity； and hence move together and in accordance with the psychical conditions。 It may be that the other muscles of the body have also a share in this but that we fail to perceive the fact。 Such movements； however； have not been essential。
We may take it as a general rule that all joyous and uplifting emotions （even astonishment） are succeeded by the raising of the skin of the forehead； the nostrils； the eyes； the eyelids； while sad and oppressing emotions have the contrary effect。 This simple and easy rule renders immediately intelligible many an otherwise obscure expression which we find important but concerning the meaning of which we are in doubt。 The development of a movement in any face goes； according to Harless；＇1＇ in this fashion： ‘‘The superior motor nerve is the oculomotorius。 The stimulation reaches this one firstthe mildest alteration of emotion betrays itself most rapidly in the look； the movement and condition of the pupil of the eye。 If the impulse is stronger it strikes the roots of the motor end of the trigeminus and the movement of the muscles of mastication occur； then the intensified affection spreads through the other features。'' Nobody will； of course； assert that even a completely developed physiognomical science will help us over all our difficulties； but with a little attention it can help us to a considerable degree。 This help we do need； as La Rochefoucauld points out； with even contemporary correctness； ‘‘It is easier to know men than to know a particular man。''
Section 21。 （8） _The Hand_。
The physiognomy of the hand stands close to that of the face in significance and is in some relations of even greater importance； because the expression of the hand permits of no； or very slight； simulation。 A hand may be rendered finer or coarser； may be rendered light or dark； the nails may be cared for or allowed to develop into claws。 The appearance of the hand may be altered； but not its physiognomy or character。 Whoever creases his face in the same way for a thousand times finally retains the creases and receives from them a determinate expression even if this does not reveal his inner state； but whoever does the same thing a thousand times with his hand does not thereby impress on it a means of identification。 The frequent Tartuffian rolling of the eyes finally gives the face a pious or at least pietistic expression； but fold your hands in
＇1＇ Wagner's Handwrterbuch； III； i。
daily prayer for years and nobody would discover it from them。 It seems； however； of little use to know that human hands can not be disguised； if they are little or not at all differentiated； but as it happens they are； next to the face； the most extremely and profoundly differentiated of human organs； and a general law teaches us that different effects are produced by different causes； and that from the former the latter may be inferred。 If then we observe the infinite variety of the human hand we have to infer an equally infinite variety of influences； and inasmuch as we cannot trace these influences any further we must conclude that they are to be explained causally by the infinite variety of psychical states。
Whoever studies the hand psychologically gains in the course of time a great deal of faith in what the hand tells him。 And finally he doubts it only when chirognomy conflicts with physiognomy。 If in such cases it is observed that the hand is more likely to be correct than the face； and that inferences from the hand more rarely show themselves to be false； one is reminded of the dictum of Aristotle； ‘‘The hand is the organ of organs； the instrument of instruments in the human body。'' If this is correct； the favored instrument must be in the closest kind of relation with the psyche of the owner； but if this relation exists there must be an interaction also。 If the hand contained merely its physical structure； Newton would never have said； ‘‘Other evidence lacking； the thumb would convince me of God's existence。''
How far one ought to establish fundamental propositions in this matter； I can not easily say。 Perhaps it would be scientifically most correct to be satisfied for the time with collecting the carefully and keenly observed material and getting the anatomists； who are already in need of material for professional investigations； to take the matter up； in collecting photographs of hands belonging to persons whose characters are well known and in getting a sufficient number of properly equipped persons to make the collection。 If we had enough material to draw fundamental principles from； much that has been asserted by Bell； Carus； D'Arpentigny； Allen； Gessmann； Liersch； Landsberg；＇1＇ etc。； might be proved and tested。 But their statements
＇1＇ C。 Bell： The Human Hand。 London 1865。 K。 G。 Carus： ber Grund u。 Bedeutung der verschiedenen Hand。 Stuttgart 1864。 D'Arpentigny： La Chirognomie。 Paris 1843。 Allen。 Manual of Cheirosophy。 London 1885。 Gessman： Die Mnnerhand； Die Frauenhand； Die Kinderhand。 Berlin 1892； 1893； 1894。 Liersch。 Die linke Hand。 Berlin 1893。 J。 Landsberg： Die Wahrsagekunst aus der Menschlichen Gestalt。 Berlin 1895。
are still subject to contradiction because their fundamental principles are not sufficient for the development of a system。 Probably nobody will doubt some of the more common statements； all will grant with Winkelmann that a beautiful hand is in keeping with a beautiful soul； or with Balzac that people of considerable intellect have handsome hands； or in calling the hand man's second face。 But when specific co…ordinations of the hand are made these meet with much doubt。 So for example； Esser＇1＇ calls the _elementary_ hand essentially a work hand； the _motor_ essentially a masculine hand； having less soul and refinement of character than will and purposefulness。 So again the _sensitive_ hand implies generally a sanguine character； and the _psychic_ hand presents itself as the possession of beautiful souls and noble spirits。
However true this classification may be； the establishment and description of the various significatory signs is very difficult； especially because the forms named rarely appear in clear and sharply defined subdivisions。 The bound
