5. Transitive position. In walking, stop midway between two steps and you have the 5th attitude or transitive position. It is the one that leads to all kinds of walks, and especially to the reverential or oblique walk.
6. Reverential walk. Let the foot which is behind take a step forward in this manner: With the toe describe on the ground a semi-circle that bends inward toward you; this will cause the heel to pass over the instep of the other foot. The other foot now takes a straight step forward, and you pause in a respectful attitude before the personage of importance whom you wish to salute. Several steps may be taken in succession before the final pause. The ceremonious step is always taken with the foot you begin with (the one toward the person you salute); the other foot always takes natural steps. This walk is only meant for men, and only on grand occasions.
7. Intoxication, vertigo. The feet are planted on the ground and apart. This attitude expresses familiarity.
8. The alternative. One foot in a straight line behind the other, the weight of the body on both. This attitude is offensive and defensive.
9. Defiance. The weight of the body on the foot that is behind, the other foot diagonally forward; head thrown back.
Delsarte never classed the basic attitudes under the heads of concentric, normal or excentric, any more than he so classed gestures. He simply gave them in the above sequence.
Lesson VII.
The Medallion of Inflection.
"The Key to all Gestures"
↓ Affirmation.
⇄ Negation.
↑ Hope.
↙ Rejection of things that harm us.
↗ Rejection of things that we despise.
⌣ Ease, comfort (resembles a hammock).
⌢ Silence, secrecy.
() Plenitude, amplitude.
)( Delicacy, grace.
⤶ Physical beauty.
⤴ Beauty of intellect.