L'art de juger du caract©·re des hommes sur leur ©♭criture. Avec vingt-quatre planches repr©♭sentant les ©♭critures de divers personnages c©♭l©·bres, grav©♭es d'apr©·s les originaux autographes

Inspired by the work of Swiss physiognomist Johann Kaspar Lavater, Hocquart's book is considered among the most important early treatises on the subject of graphology as used to infer a person's character. It appeared first in 1812 with only 52 pages. The work consists of a brief introduction to a 'scientific' interpretation of hand-writing, followed by the analysis of twenty-two engraved plates of autograph samples. Included are autographs of famous public figures such as Marie Antionette, Racine, Mme. de Maintenon, Frederick the Great, Benjamin Franklin and the philosopgers Voltaire, Pascal, Condillac, and D'Alembert. The plates are early examples of the use of lithography which had not been in much use until Engelmann moved his presses to Paris in 1816. Two plates showing alphabets for the deaf and dumb are also included.