You may observe, also, that when the fingers and the thumb are spread out the space between the thumb and the fore-finger is considerably greater than either of the spaces between the other fingers. Then, by a slight movement, the thumb takes up a position in front of, or opposite to, the fingers; and in grasping any substance it has to antagonise the pressure exerted by all the fingers. Hence it needs to be much stronger than they are, and to be wielded by more numerous and more powerful muscles.
The Middle Finger is not only the longest and the largest finger; it is also, to a certain extent, the centre about which the others move. Thus, when the fingers are bent down into the palm, their tips all converge towards the middle finger; and when they are spread out, they all diverge from it. Its greater length and the greater prominence of its knuckle, expose this finger to injury more than any of the others; which may account for the fact that Surgeons are called upon to amputate the middle finger more frequently than either of the other fingers or the thumb.
The Fore-finger has the greatest range of independent movement. Hence it is used to point with, and is called the “Index” or “Indicator” finger.
Writing.
In Writing the pen should be held between the pulps of the fore and middle fingers and the thumb, in contact with all three, and firmly lodged between them. The down-stroke is made by bending the phalanges of the fingers and the thumb inwards and the metacarpal bone of the thumb outwards; and the up-stroke is made by straightening all the joints of the fingers and thumb. The hand rests lightly, not upon its whole edge, but, upon the hindermost and foremost parts of the edge, that is, upon the pisiform bone of the wrist and upon the little finger near the end, so that it can be moved easily along the paper, and can be inclined, or rolled, a little to either side. The obliquity of the stroke is not imposed by mere arbitrary rule, but is in accordance with the direction in which there is the freest movement of the fingers and thumb when thus holding the pen. Make the experiment for yourselves of moving the pen in different directions, and you will soon be satisfied that the writing-master has nature on his side in insisting on a particular movement as well as a particular mode of holding the pen. Some persons make the strokes vertical, or slope them the wrong way; but in either case the writing is stiff and awkward; it is not natural.
The custom of writing from left to right may also be regarded as correct or natural, inasmuch as we can move the pen more freely upwards and outwards than upwards and inwards. Hence the light up or advancing stroke—that which connects a letter with the one which follows it—is most easily made outwards or to the right; and the letters are, consequently, made to follow one another in that direction. To understand this more clearly make a down-stroke upon paper in the usual manner; you will then find that you can make up-strokes from any part of it more easily to the right than to the left; and if you make a series of continuous up-and-down-strokes at a little distance from one another, the up-stroke is, not merely habitually, but naturally, made fine and inclined to the right, whereas the down-stroke is made heavier or thicker and is sloped to the left. Moreover, you will perceive that the hand slides along the paper more easily from left to right than from right to left.
It is worthy of remark that the writing of all that great class of languages called Indo-European, which includes Sanscrit, Greek, Latin, and many others, with our own, is from left to right; whereas nearly all the writing of another great class called the Semitic, which includes the Hebrew and Arabic, is in the opposite direction, viz. from right to left. Some nations write in perpendicular columns, the letters being placed under one another, of which the Chinese affords an example. But either of the two latter methods must be inferior to the Indo-European style in ease of execution and expedition.
Reason for the Ring being usually placed upon the Fourth finger.
The Ring-finger has less independent movement than either of the others. It cannot be bent or straightened much without being accompanied by one or both of those next it. This is, partly, because its extensor tendon is connected, by means of a band of fibres, with the tendon on either side of it. You may discern these connecting bands working up and down under the skin of the back of your hand when you move the fingers to and fro (they are represented in fig. [67]). The ring-finger is, therefore, always, more or less, protected by the other fingers; and it owes to this circumstance a comparative immunity from injury, as well, probably, as the privilege of being especially selected to bear the ring in matrimony. The left hand is chosen for a similar reason; a ring placed upon it being less likely to be damaged than it would be upon the right hand.
Other reasons have been given for this preference. It has been attributed to a notion among the ancients that the ring-finger is connected with the heart by means of some particular nerve or vessel, which renders it a more favourable medium than the other fingers for the reception and transmission of sympathetic impressions; the left hand being selected, in preference to the right, because it lies rather nearer to the heart.