e　thee　in　my　touch；　I'd　say　I　had　eyes　again；〃　is　as　true　to　a

pulse　within　me　as　the　grief　he　feels。　The　ghost　in　〃Hamlet〃　recites　the

wrongs　from　which　springs　the　tragedy：

Thus　was　I；　sleeping；　by　a　brother's　hand。

At　once　of　life；　of　crown；　of　queen　dispatch'd。

How　that　passage　in　〃Othello〃　stops　your　breath……that　passage　full　of

bitter　double　intention　in　which　Othello's　suspicion　tips　with　evil　what

he　says　about　Desdemona's　hand；　and　she　in　innocence　answers　only　the

innocent　meaning　of　his　words：　〃For　'twas　that　hand　that　gave　away　my

heart。〃

Not　all　Shakspere's　great　passages　about　the　hand　are　tragic。　Remember

the　light　play　of　words　in　〃Romeo　and　Juliet〃　where　the　dialogue；　flying

nimbly　back　and　forth；　weaves　a　pretty　son　about　the　hand。　And　who

knows　the　hand；　if　not　the　lover？

The　touch　of　the　hand　is　in　every　chapter　of　the　Bible。　Why；　you　could

almost　rewrite　Exodus　as　the　story　of　the　hand。　Everything　is　done　by

the　hand　of　the　Lord　and　of　Moses。　The　oppression　of　the　Hebrews　is

translated　thus：　〃The　hand　of　Pharaoh　was　heavy　upon　the　Hebrews。〃　Their

departure　out　of　the　land　is　told　in　these　vivid　words：　〃The　Lord

brought　the　children　of　Israel　out　of　the　house　of　bondage　with　a　strong

hand　and　a　stretched…out　arm。〃　At　the　stretching　out　of　the　hand　of

Moses　the　waters　of　the　Red　Sea　part　and　stand　all　on　a　heap。　When　the

Lord　lifts　his　hand　in　anger；　thousands　perish　in　the　wilderness。　Every

act；　every　decree　in　the　history　of　Israel；　as　indeed　in　the　history　of

the　human　race；　is　sanctioned　by　the　hand。　Is　it　not　used　in　the　great

moments　of　swearing；　blessing；　cursing；　smiting；