Editorial 



279 



In the attempt to estimate character by the face we 

 probably rely but little on knowledge of principles and 

 chiefly on experience. We have learned to associate certain 

 features, and certain expressions of the features, with certain 

 tendencies of character. To the stranger who sat for the 

 portrait we impute the character which we have observed in 

 connection with the features presented by him. We but 

 seldom stop to note the form of his mouth or nose, or the 

 fulness or otherwise of his eyes, but rather take in the whole 

 face at a glance, and declare it pleasing or disagreeable with- 

 out more ado. In not a few instances we probably quite 

 unconsciously detect a resemblance to some individual whom 

 we have known, and, still unconsciously, impute the known 

 character of our acquaintance to the new-comer. 



In reference to this unavoidable habit it would be well 

 worth while to make a collection of remarkable resemblances, 

 and ask how far these have been borne out. It once 

 happened to the writer to be struck with the similarity of the 

 features of a gentleman, whom he met for the first time, to 

 those of Shakespeare. After suitable preface he asked his 

 companion whether he knew what there was of interest in his 

 face. The reply was, " Oh ! if you mean that, my friends 

 call me the Divine William." It came out that he had 

 written successful plays. Other instances of coincidence 

 between features and character almost as striking have 

 occurred to us. In the Haslemere Gallery we have a 

 modern portrait which repeats the face of King Henry VIII. 



Few subjects are of greater interest in connection with the 

 study of animals than to trace the changes in bodily form, 

 which follow in connection with change in habits and mode 

 of life. Not only do we here observe facts which enable us 

 to realise better the possibilities as to the development of one 

 group of animals from another (evolution), but we have 

 remarkable confirmation of the knowledge supplied from other 

 sources as to the very long periods of time which must have 



