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In Europe until the 12th century, handwriting was almost entirely limited to monks, whose work on manuscripts was more a thing of ornamentation and beauty than a fluid means of communication. Even then, although the teaching of the alphabet, the formation of words, spelling etc., was done originally by the monks, it was noted almost at once that there were individualistic factors in individual handwriting.
Above is an example of American Indian writing. Known as pictographs, the writing uses pictorial representations to get the message across. This is a petition sent by a group of Inidan tribes to the United States Congress asking for fishing rights in some small lakes near Lake Superior. The leading tribe is represented by Oshcabawis, on the extreme right of the picture. Oshcabawis' totem is the "Crane". Behind him are Waimitligzhig and Ogemagee, and a third indian, all of the 'Marten" totem. Then follows Little Elk of the 'Bear' totem, and then a delegate from the 'Manfish' totem. Lines connect each eye and each heart of every totem to the eye and heart of the leader of the 'Crane" totem. This indicates that the Chiefs, and all the Indians that they represent, all feel of the same heart or feel the same, and they are all of the same mind or see the same. A further line of thread of thought connects the 'Crane' to the place where their thoughts are directed and the people to whom their petition is presented: the United States Congress.
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IN the days of our early ancestors pictorial signs were used by the Neanderthal man, the American Indian, etc. These signs were obviously an attempt at writing: a means to communicate. But it took many centuries of evolution to develop a formed and established alphabet; and it was not until the Phoenicians produced the first alphabetical signs that we can say writing (as we know it today) had first begun to be used. The Greeks in turn adopted the alphabet and provided additional signs to represent vowels. At the same time, they changed the direction of writing. The Semetic peoples had written from right to left, but the Greeks redirected it to make it from left to right. In the course of colonization, the Greeks handed over their alphabet to the Etruscans who adopted it for their own use; they in turn, when under the Roman influence, found this alphabet accepted and absorbed by the Romans. After some modification it was finally stabilized as the alphabet we know today. The capitals are almost identical, but the small letters have had considerable modification. The Latin form of script spread rapidly on account of its clear, simple, and positive outlines. Throughout history, special features of individual's handwriting have interested many observers: as early as the 2nd century C.Suetonius Tranquillus noted peculiarities in the handwriting of Caesar, whilst in the 11th century the Chinese had also noted the relationship between handwriting and personality. In Europe until the 12th century, handwriting was almost entirely limited to monks, whose work on manuscripts was more a thing of ornamentation and beauty than a fluid means of communication. Yet the knowledge of handwriting could not be kept forever within the confines of the monasteries; and in the 12th century it began to spread outside the monastery walls and became part of the natural line of communication. Although the teaching of the alphabet, the formation of words, spelling etc., was done originally by the monks, it was noted almost at once that there were individualistic factors in individual handwriting. This interested Camillo Baldi, a doctor and professor at the University of Bologna, enough for him to write a book entitled 'The means of knowing the habits and qualities of a writer from his letters'. The book was published in the 17th century, in the year 1622. During the 18th century interest lapsed in graphology, but by the mid-19th century a very significant development occurred. A group of French clergy examined the possible relationship between handwriting and personality. Amongst this group was a cleric by the name of the Abbé Flandrin. He, in turn, taught the Abbé Jean Ilippolyte Michon. Jean Hippolyte Michon not only coined the name 'graphology' but conducted a great deal of research in the field. He published a book in Paris in 1872 called 'The Mysteries of Handwriting' and a further book entitled 'A System of Graphology'. With their suggestion that the analysis of handwriting could be a science, these two books created a sensation. Michon had, with the help of Flandrin, laid the foundation for further research. He was followed by another Frenchman by the name of J.Crepieux-Jamin who developed, modified and elaborated on the study from his own observations. J.Crepieux-Jamin can be called, with all justification, the 'Father of Graphology' in the French school. J.Crepieux - Jamin classified handwriting into seven categories and a hundred and seventy-five specimens. These are still in use by graphologists today. The many works he published have remained classics. The original French development was naturally followed by others. Graphology aroused intense interest on the Continent in its early stages, particularly in Germany where Dr. Ludwig Klages founded the theoretical school, and Robert Saudek continued research in Czechoslovakia, together with Max Pulver in Switzerland, and Schwiedland and Langenbruch in Austria. Strange as it may seem with all this progress and development, very little of the subject was generally known in the English-speaking world. With the exception of a few highly trained specialists, it was only when a considerable number of Continental graphologists sought asylum in England at the time of the Nazi period, that books of a general nature were produced and published and contacts made with persons who could see the value of this method of character assessment. Due to the conservative nature of the British, the general pattern of development in Britain differed vastly from the Continent. In England, graphologists carried out their work in comparative secrecy, frowning on any form of advertising and building up practices rather like doctors and barristers. Today, graphology has reached the mainstream throughout the world. There is vast publicity being given to graphology on the Continent and, in Western Germany alone, there are thousands of practising graphologists, openly advertising, and nine universities teaching the subject. In the United States there is a vast network of graphologists operating under the control of the International Graphoanalysts' Society. Graphology has proved itself and is now commonly used in criminal investigations, employee selection, psychiatric evaluation, behavioural research, and in many other areas of social life and commerce. |
