PHYSIOGNOMY. 



lion of that invisible spirit appears to rush 

 in full vigour from those intelligent organs : 

 all the passions may be seen in them : 

 we shrink from their indications of anger, 

 we find pleasure with all her train of joys 

 dancing in them, we feel their force in 

 love, and melt into tears upon observing 

 them suffused with the moisture of grief ; 

 in short their language is far more power- 

 ful than that of the tongue. The transi- 

 tions are so rapid in the expression of the 

 eyes, that it requires very close and atten- 

 tive examination to catch and describe 

 the emotions of the mind visible in them ; 

 admitting this tact, it will appear that the 

 physiognomist is liable to numerous and 

 egregious errors in drawing his conclu- 

 sion of propensities from them. Paracel- 

 sus, a man of strong genius, and, like La- 

 vater, misguided in many instances by 

 enthusiasm, and a kind of superstition 

 allied to the study of this art or science, 

 pronounced that those eyes generally term- 

 ed black frequently denoted health, firm- 

 ness, courage and honour ; but the grey, 

 deceit and "instability. Thus far proba- 

 bility at least accompanies his remarks. 

 It is, however, impossible to subscribe to 

 his assertion, that short-sighted persons 

 are deceitful and crafty, or that those 

 who squint have similar propensities to 

 evil, as it is evident both the peculiarities 

 alluded to are the consequences of inju- 

 ry, and are never found in people whose 

 organs of vision are perfect : indeed ma- 

 ny instances might be cited of the actual 

 and known causes of squinting and near 

 sight, which frequently occur in adults 

 from extreme anxiety and disease. 

 / Small eyes situated deep in the sock- 

 ets are said, by Paracelsus, to indicate 

 active wickedness, with a mind calculat- 

 ed to oppose with vigour, and suffer with 

 perseverance ; and their opposites, or 

 very large prominent eyes, he conceived, 

 explained the avaricious, covetous, pro- 

 pensities of their possessor; those in con- 

 stant motion denote fear and care ; wink- 

 ing is the mark of foresight, of an amo- 

 rous disposition, and quickness in pro- 

 jecting ; and the eye fearful of looking 

 directly forward, decides upon innate mo- 

 desty. 



Lavater thought blue eyes, in general, 

 signified effeminacy and weakness, and 

 yet he acknowledged that many eminent 

 men have hud blue eyes; still he was con- 

 vinced that strengh and manhood more 

 particularly belong to the brown : in op- 

 position to this opinion, the Chinese, who 

 are known to be an imbecile people, 

 rarely have blue eyes; these contradic- 



tions, it must be confessed, weaken the 

 reliance we are inclined to place on ap- 

 pearances during the quiescent state of 

 the eyes, and the indications of their co- 

 lour. Men intemperate in anger, and 

 easily irritated, may be found with eyes 

 of all the usual colours ; when they "in- 

 cline to green, ardour, spirit, and cou- 

 rage, are constant attendants. People of 

 a phlegmatic habit, but who may be rous- 

 ed to activity, have clear blue eyes, 

 which never belong to those inclined to 

 melancholy, and they rarely belong to the 

 choleric. Benevolence, tenderness, ti- 

 midity, and weakness, are exhibited by 

 the perfectly semicircular arch formed 

 by the under part of the upper eye-lid: 

 pel-sons of acute and solid understandings 

 have a generous open eye, composing a 

 long and acute angle with the nose ; and 

 when the eye-lid forms a horizontal line 

 over the pupil, it is a strong indication 

 that he who possesses it is subtile, able, 

 and penetrating. Widely opening lids, 

 shewing- the white of the ball under the 

 other colours, may be observed in the 

 phlegmatic and timid, as well as in the 

 courageous and rash ; but upon compar- 

 ing these marks in the different charac- 

 ters just mentioned, a very perceptible 

 difference is discovered in the character- 

 istics of the eyes ; the latter are less ob- 

 lique, better shaped, and more firm. 



The eye-brows are essential in the ex- 

 pression of the eyes, in anger they are 

 brought down and contracted : in all plea- 

 sant sensations, and in astonishment, they 

 assume a fine arch ; in youth they are na- 

 turally and regularly arched ; the hori- 

 zontal and rectilinear eye-brow belongs 

 to the masculine bias of the soul ; and 

 the above designations combined shew 

 strength of understanding, united with 

 feminine kindness; those that are de- 

 ranged in their appearance, and the hairs 

 growing in various directions, demon- 

 strate a wild and perplexed state of mind ; 

 but if the hair is fine and soft, they signi- 

 fy gentle ardour. The compressed firm 

 eye-brow, formed of parallel hairs, is a 

 certain proof of profound wisdom, true 

 perception, and a manly firm habit of 

 thought. There are eye-brows which 

 meet across the notes ; this circumstance 

 gives the person an air of ferocious 

 gloom, which is admired by the Arabs, 

 but the ancients, versed in physiognomy, 

 conceived such to be characteristic of 

 cunning ; Lavater, on the contrary, ob- 

 serves, that he had discovered them on 

 the most worthy and open countenances, 

 admitting 1 at the same time that they may 



