§30 PHYSIO 
increafe of fize from fat alone does not bring an increafe 
of mufcular power in any part. We can only fay, that 
this affumption is entirely gratuitous. There feems no 
marks of obefity in the individuals whofe heads are fo 
largely developed ; they are as healthy and as lean as 
thofe who have heads of the fmalleft calibre ; nor indeed 
are there any marks by which that obefity of brain can 
be gueffed at during life, nor does anatomy teach any ap¬ 
pearances by which it can be detected in the dead fub- 
jeCt. 
The hind part of the head, in our prefent ignorance of 
the functions of the correfponding portion of the brain, 
furnilhes no phyfiognomical information of importance. 
Man has the occiput produced beyond the bones of the 
neck to a much greater degree than is found in any of 
the mammalia; and in fome nations this circumftance 
takes place to a greater degree than in others. The 
Turks, for inftance, are remarkable for the flatnefs of the 
occiput, and for its clofe proximity to the vertebra of the 
neck; a faCt which would operate ftrongly againft Spurz- 
lieim’s notion that the cerebellum is the organ of amative- 
nefs, were it not that the Turk’s occiput makes up in 
breadth for what is loft in the oppofite diameter. In the 
Ethiopian, alfo, the foramen ovale is further back in the 
head than is feen in other races of men. On the contrary, 
the Carib has an occiput highly projecting and the cavi¬ 
ties of the cerebellum very capacious. This ftriking dif¬ 
ference between the Carib and the Turk will be very evi¬ 
dent when we confult fig. 6 and 7 of the Engraving. In 
fig. 8, the rotundity of the occiput in a beautiful Geor¬ 
gian fkull is not lets remarkable. 
The vertex, and that portion of the head which is over 
the ears, is by many thought to be the feat of imagina¬ 
tion. This, like the laft portion of the head, furnilhes no 
phyfiognomical data, except fo far as regards the parti¬ 
cular view’s of the Craniologifts. We may juft notice, 
however, Lavater’s remark, that perfons having the head 
high near the vertex have much firmnefs, which corrobo¬ 
rates the opinion of Gall as to the feat of that faculty. 
The forehead of man is perhaps the mod interefting 
trait in his countenance; for we find greater varieties 
here than in any other part of the head, and at all times 
a moft diftingiufhing difference from other animals. The 
facial angle, as we before obferved, is in the perfeCteft 
form at about 90 degrees. Much beyond this, it is cer¬ 
tain that ftupidity rather than intellect is met with ; and 
Lavater alfo noticed, that, where the fuperior part of the 
forehead projected beyond the lower, great dullnefs was 
found; as for inftance, in the fig. 9. Plate III. It is re¬ 
markable that the prominence of the forehead is greater 
in the European than in other races; that the Ethiopi¬ 
ans, and ftill more the Caribs, have the forehead retreat¬ 
ing in a great degree. The fame has been obferved in 
fome idiots. This has feemed to give probability to the 
notion that the fore parts of the brain are the organs of 
the reafoning faculties; for we all know that the blacks 
have been confidered as inferior in reafoning powers to the 
white races. On this Engraving we have delineated, in a 
feries of figures, (10-14.) the gradual retreating of the 
fkull in different nations and in fome animals. To a 
certain degree, however, the retreating forehead is praifed 
by Lavater ; that is, when it does not retreat too ab¬ 
ruptly or too low down. 
The forehead, viewed anteriorly, fhould, as we know, 
form one fourth of the face, another fourth being formed 
by the retreating part of the head. This at lead con¬ 
forms to the ancient ftandard ; but it is feldom feen. 
Thefe proportions are marked at fig. 15. 
In this view we have an opportunity of obferving the 
relation which the breadth of the head bears to that of 
the face; a relation which is very various. In fig. 9, the 
European, we fee that the forehead is confiderably 
broader than the cheek-bones; while, on the other hand, 
we fee in fig. 10, the Mongolian, and in fig. 11, the Ethio¬ 
pian, varieties, how much the breadth of the face, mea- 
G N O M Y. 
fured acrofs the cheek-bones, is fuperior to that of the 
head. As to the phyfiognomy of the forehead, thofe who 
believe in Gall’s fyftem will examine it to find the organs 
of comparifon, reflexion, and indeed all the nobleft attri¬ 
butes of the mind; but they muft not forget that any 
precife conclufions are impoflible, unlefs they could fix 
the exaCt limits of each of the many organs Gall afcribes 
to this part. 
The following are the chief remarks of Lavater on the 
forehead. The forehead is divided into three claffes ; the 
perpendicular, the projecting, and the retreating; each 
poffefling a number of variations : the principal, however, 
are—rectilinear, half-round, half-reCtilinear, flowing into 
each other; half-round, half-reCtilinear, interrupted; 
curve-lined Ample, and curve-lined double and triple. 
A long forehead denotes much capacity of comprehenfion, 
and lefs activity; a compreffed, fliort, and firm, forehead, 
more compreflion, liability, and little volatility ; feverity 
and pertinacity belong to the reClilinear ; and the more 
curved than angular portends flexibility and tendernefs 
of character: deficiency of underltanding is difcoverable 
in thofe whofe foreheads are perpendicular from the hair 
to the eye-brows; but the perfectly perpendicular, 
gently arched at the top, fignifies that the poffeffor thinks 
coolly and profoundly. The projecting forehead indicates 
ftupidity and mental weaknefs; the retreating, exaCtly 
the reverfe; the circular,and prominent above,with ftraight 
lines below, and nearly perpendicular, fhows fenfibility, 
ardour, and good underftanding ; the reClilinear oblique 
forehead has the fame properties; arched foreheads are 
confidered as feminine; an union of curved and ftraight 
lines, fiappily difpofed, with a fimilar pofition of the fore¬ 
head, gives the character of confummate vvifdom. When 
the bones furrounding the eye project, and are (harp, the 
perfon thus formed poffefles a powerful ftimulus to exer- 
cife a ftrong mental energy, which is productive of excel¬ 
lent and well-digefted plans ; and yet this doth not feem 
a peculiar mark of wifdom, a-s many wife men have been 
known without it: thofe thus circumftanced have more 
firmnefs when the forehead refts perpendicularly upon 
horizontal eye-brows, and is confiderably rounded to¬ 
wards the temples. Perpendicular foreheads, which, 
however, project to as not to reft on the nofe, and which 
are fliort, fmall, fiiine, and are full of wrinkles, give un¬ 
doubted indications of a weaknefs of the thinking facul¬ 
ties; perfeverance and oppreflive violent activity, united 
with vigour and harfhnefs, belong to the forehead com- 
pofed of various confuted protuberances ; and, on the 
other hand, when the profile of this part of the head 
affords two well-proportioned arches, the loweft project¬ 
ing, it is a certain fign of a good temperament and a 
found underftanding. All great and excellent men have 
been found to have their eye-bones firmly arched, and 
well defined ; and circumfpeCtion, followed by liability, 
attends fquare foreheads, with fpacious temples, and eye- 
bones of the above defcription; when perpendicular 
natural wrinkles appear, they exprefs power of mind and 
application ; but horizontal, interrupted in the middle, 
or broken at the extremities, betray, in general, negli¬ 
gence, if not want of ability. Deep indenting in the 
bones of the forehead fituated between the eye-brows, 
and extending in a perpendicular direction, mark the 
happy few who poflefs generous and noble minds, con¬ 
nected with excellence of underftanding, a configuration 
for which Dr. Johnfon was remarkable; (fee the outline 
of the Dr.’s forehead, fig. 19, Plate IV.) Lavater thought 
that a very flight tranfverfe depreflion of head in addition 
to the form juft mentioned, fo as to divide the head into 
four flight protuberances, was neceflary to a perfeCt fore¬ 
head : he fays, however, that thefe protuberances lhould 
be fo flight as only to be vifible with a clear defcending 
light. 
The view of the head from above ferves to lhow the 
development of thofe parts to which Gall has attributed 
the reflecting faculties, together with thofe ot deftruc- 
tivenefs. 
