Chap. VIII. EXPRESSION OF DEVOTION. 219 



this effect with the various extra-European races of 

 mankind. During the classical period of Roman history 

 it does not appear, as I hear from an excellent classic, 

 that the hands were thus joined during prayer. Mr. 

 Hensleigh Wedgwood has apparently given 27 the true 

 explanation, though this implies that the attitude is one 

 of slavish subjection. " When the suppliant kneels and 

 holds up his hands with the palms joined, he represents 

 a captive who proves the completeness of his submission 

 by offering up his hands to be bound by the victor. It 

 is the pictorial representation of the Latin dare manus, 

 to signify submission." Hence it is not probable that 

 either the uplifting of the eyes or the joining of the open 

 hands, under the influence of devotional feelings, are in- 

 nate or truly expressive actions; and this could hardly 

 have been expected, for it is very doubtful whether feel- 

 ings, such as we should now rank as devotional, affected 

 the hearts of men, whilst they remained during past 

 ages in an uncivilized condition. 



2T 



« The Origin of Language,' 1866, p. 146. Mr. Tylor 

 (' Early History of Mankind,' 2nd edit. 1870, p. 48) gives 

 a more complex origin to the position of the hands dur- 

 ing prayer. 



