Obviously you must consider the general character of the handwriting , for the person who makes fine strokes may simply be cold-blooded !sx He or she may at the same time be fastidious and dainty , fussy and exacting , but the fine nature of the strokes in a self-controlled handwriting might really be a negative sign , and simply show us a lack of human emotion .sx When not carried to excess , it may be a valuable quality , and as such it will be found in the writings of J. L. Toole , that most human of comedians , Mark Twain , another popular humorist , or by way of contrast , Professor Owen and the late Lord Salisbury , the companion and successor in the political world of .sx Lord Beaconsfield .sx But we must be equally careful when dealing with thick strokes , for any tendency to coarseness will spoil the best character in the world .sx In the case of our human emotions , whether sensuous or sexual , everything depends upon the amount of control intense passions , under firm control , will give us the genius , whereas the self-same passions , with a self-indulgent lack of will power , will merely show the wanton .sx The love of colour , as colour , shows itself in these deepened strokes , and you will find signs of it in the writing of almost every painter of note Tadema , Leighton , Dicksee , Landseer , Prout , are a few .sx It is also found in the writing of a certain type of stage favourite , whose best work is found in the portrayal of the emotions such as in the case of Irving , Bancroft , Wyndham , Mrs. Stirling , who were not so much great character-actors , as great portrayers of human emotion .sx Wyndham , for instance , was always Wyndham , yet no one could touch him when dealing with an emotional part .sx Singers and musicians show this thickened stroke , as is only natural ; take the hand-writings of Sims Reeves , Santley , Madame Albani , Bispham , Sainton , and many others .sx You will find it in the script of Wordsworth , the poet , of Charles Dickens , the novelist , of King Edward and Queen Alexandra , Nelson and Beaconsfield , so it is not confined to any class or type , though all show this same trait of emotional sympathy .sx In all such cases you will find that the strokes have been made clearly and neatly they will bear careful investigation under a powerful magnifying glass .sx But if these thickened strokes show any tendency to-wards being blurred , then you will find sensuality and sexuality revealed this is particularly the case if the thickened strokes show this blurred character to the naked .sx eye .sx One cannot quote examples of these blurred thick strokes , but they will be found in the handwriting of well-known courtesans and divorced people , in a certain type of actress who depends , more or less , on the amount of clothing that she does not wear as someone forcibly put it .sx I have also seen these strokes in the writing of a few doctors who became " mixed up " with lady patients , although themedical profession is , as a whole , most wonderfully clean .sx One curious form of thickened stroke , not often seen , is where the stroke thickens at the centre only this shows gluttony , a love of the good things of the table !sx There is another partial form , not unlike this , where the thickened portion is seen only at the curves , such as the bottom curve of such small letters as A , C , D , E , O , and so on .sx This shows the man or woman who would if they dared people who are unfaithful in thought , yet who are too cowardly , too selfish , too timid , to be true to their own unfaithfulness .sx If the final strokes of such small letters as A , C , E , and so on , are the only thickened portions , it is a case of " Women and Wine .sx " There should not , however , be a dead level of uniformity in the handwriting if it is uniformly light or dark , it shows that there is no real depth of feeling ; everything is shallow and on the surface .sx If the thick touches occur only at odd points in the writing , it shows an irritable temper a lack of nervous and emotional control .sx I have , however , always found that thickened punctuation shows a sense of harmony , but it must be formed properly .sx For instance , if a full stop ( or full point ) is thick and blurred to the right , making it apparently wider or longer than it is high , we get the sulky temperament !sx On the other hand , a shortening of the punctuation , as when a comma looks like a full stop , shows a person whose chief characteristic is impetuosity .sx If the commas in the handwriting are well curved , we see the person who is content with small pleasures and simple happiness .sx There is one curious form of punctuation not noticed in the ordinary text-books , and that is the habitual use of the dash in place of comma or semi-colon , or even of the full stop itself .sx This shows cultivated self-control , and you will always find that the general run of the handwriting proves that the self-control and forethought do not come naturally to the subject , but are the result of the force of circumstances , often more or less tragic to the person concerned .sx The dots to the I and J cannot tell us very much ; if they are angular in character a fact not always seen unless under a magnifying glass then we have a sign of hasty temper .sx If the dot is thrown well to the right of the letter of which , strictly speaking , it forms a part , then we see a person who will suffer from want of prudence .sx I have always found that a high dot , placed well above the top of the letter , shows an affection for old associations .sx This is a curious trait of mind , found in all classes and in all types , from the commonplace to the highly gifted here and there , at rare intervals nowadays , you find these simple and contented folk , who can always find real and lasting happiness in their Garden of Happy Memories !sx I have already dealt fully with the spacing and union of the letters forming individual words , but I must add a few special particulars about the union of the words themselves although , of course , they need not be united by some particular stroke , as by union I mean their relationship with each other as seen on the same line of handwriting .sx If the words , bearing in mind their varying length , seem to the eye to be as nearly as possible the same distance apart , then we have an honourable and reliable person , one who can be trusted to deal fairly with everything and everybody , one who can be trusted to keep a secret .sx If the bottom of the lines appears to be very level we have the sign of memory that is , a natural power of retaining facts in the consciousness .sx Of course memory can be cultivated , and that , too , without using expensive courses of lessons , but many people have this inherited power of remembrance .sx Another sign of this power of assimilation is seen when the Capital letters stand well apart from the rest of the word ; on the other hand , when the individual words are some-what frequently linked together it shows good deductive powers the power of thinking things out .sx In all these cases , the general run of the handwriting must be studied ; you may see two words linked together on one line , yet the .sx next half-dozen lines may not show another similar example .sx Never base your decision upon one example of a sign or stroke ; watch carefully , and satisfy yourself that it really is a characteristic of the handwriting .sx Then and then only , use it as one of the links in the edifice you are constructing the character and temperament , habits and instincts , of the person whose handwriting you are studying .sx I have not considered the signs of ill-health in this book , but HW .sx 149 is a striking example , as also are HW .sx 150 , HW .sx 151 and HW .sx 152 .sx HW .sx 153 was written deliberately by a man who tried to disguise his script , yet the tell-tale signs are all there .sx You will see that the cross-bars of the small T , the loops of the H and S , the capital I , and other letters , all show that these four variations were written by the same person .sx CHAPTER XI .sx A SPECIMEN CHARACTER SKETCH .sx SO much for precept ; now for a little practice !sx In the present chapter I intend to give a specimen Character Sketch from the hand-writing of the late J. N. Maskelyne , that unique Maker of Mystery !sx This sketch was done with the knowledge and consent of Mr. Maskelyne , and when it was submitted to him , he confirmed and approved all the points deduced from his handwriting .sx Although a well-known man and a general popular favourite , his private life , character and temperament could not be known outside his own immediate circle , and at the time I was an absolute stranger to him personally , though I had seen him scores of times from the auditorium of the old Egyptian Hall , and later , the present place , St. George's Hall .sx The sketch , therefore , is in every way a fair test of the possibilities of this science .sx I have given the Character Sketch itself in single column on the following pages , while on the right I have indicated in many cases the particular clue by which I was guided .sx The personal magnetism ( 1 ) shown by this writing is very marked , yet he has had to fight for all that has come his way , and he has always fought in a clean , manly way and enjoyed the fight .sx There is through all a curious distaste for publicity ( 2 ) , he only comes from his shell when he has something definite to do or to say ( 3) .sx He would , however , always be the power behind the throne , his straightforward methods admitting of no shillyshallying ( 4) .sx He is a man of courage and determination , both physically .sx and mentally ( 5 ) ; some-what slow to strike , as his nature is cautious ( 6 ) , but when his fist does come your way , down you go !sx ( 7 ) He will always see a thing right through to the end when once he starts upon it ( 8) .sx He is very tenacious of purpose and of opinion , though broad-minded in the extreme ( 9 ) , and both intellectually and morally he objects to half measures .sx He can perhaps be stubborn when his will is crossed ( 10 ) , he is not easily discouraged and can keep a definite purpose in view for many years .sx He is kindly as a rule ( 11 ) , but does not overlook slackness or disobedience to his orders ( 12) .sx His subordinates may suggest and this he would always encourage but they must also do .sx as he tells them .sx There is a strong sense of discipline , but he is a very good master to those who serve him faithfully ( 13) .sx He is a man of courage and determination , plucky and hopeful and persevering ( 14) .sx His mental attitude is direct , obvious and emphatic he never takes you by surprise or does the unexpected ( 15) .sx His attack is always a frontal one , and he never takes advantage of any-one by creeping round the flank .sx But of course there is a good deal of caution and prudence shown .sx He knows that the essence of life is risk , but he always carefully reckons the cost before he takes a plunge ( 16) .sx He always reasons a matter out from your point of view as well as from his own , and if skill , ingenuity .sx and logic can effect his purpose , he expects to score his points , just as a capable mathematician verifies the results of his first calculations ( 17) .sx Our subject's mind is not a mathematical one ( 18 ) , but it is beautifully balanced and exact ; he does not exaggerate any of his own points ( 19 ) , nor underrate any of those of his opponent ; he does not magnify future prospects but deals with today ( 20) .sx Not a money maker as such nor a saver , yet he is an excellent type of efficiency ( 21 ) his own mental and physical powers working as easily and cleanly as one of his own mechanical contrivances ( 22) .sx