to the world. Analyze the leading and foremost characters of History, both male and female, and we shall find that the moving and propelling force behind all their other qualities was the attribute of Enthusiasm. Let it be understood that active enthusiasm is not to be confounded with that spirit of torpid devotion which is exhibited by a class of the religious, so called, whose mission, it seems, is to hang back and criticise the active workers. It is pertinent that I should mark the distinction here between these two classes, one of which has won freedom, knowledge, wisdom, beauty, comfort, and happiness for the world, while the other has contented itself with a selfish, torpid, and inactive contemplation, believed by its subjects to be the best means by which to attain happiness for themselves in a future state of existence. The contrast between these two classes of persons is most striking and serves to show that a cool, firm, determined purpose to do something for one's own selfish use, although it may be brought about by ignoring practical, worldly methods and advantages, is not the highest kind of enthusiasm, and, although much admired in the middle ages, has quite gone out of fashion now, although there is a feeble attempt on the part of our more superstitious people to carry out the teachings of esoteric Buddhism and other occult and undemonstrative theories; yet these will not succeed to any extent, for it is not possible to engraft very strongly upon a bony, practical race the theories of a nation of dreamers and unpractical theorists. The practical influences surrounding the masses will neutralize appreciably all attempts of those most developed in the faculty of Credenciveness to foist upon the public of this country such nonsensical and unprovable fables. The scientific spirit and knowledge of this age is too well developed to accept these Oriental faiths, which are not in harmony with the grade of evolution which the people of the northern races have reached. This is not in harmony with the present, spirit of investigation, nor in the line of modern thought, which tends rather toward the strictly practical. The enthusiasm of the present age seeks more active outlets; and if expeditions to the North Pole do not cool the ardor of those engaged in them, the enthusiastic investigations into the proper ties of electricity, or the destructive powers of explosives, will keep alive a natural and useful degree of this most exalting quality of the human mind which is shared in common with the race. The muscles assist Art, Enthusiasm, and many great and noble efforts; they are also the source of many disorders, very many of which can be remedied by self-control and by becoming interested in some unselfish undertaking. Thus, by diverting the action of the muscles into new channels the primary trouble is overcome. ANALYSIS OF LAZINESS. There are several classes of those who are congenitally lazy, but the two most common ones are those who are inert by reason either of too much fatty matter or by having too large and too heavy bones, or a bony system so much in excess of the muscular that it is an effort to rise or to move about actively. Others who are congenitally indolent are defectively organized in other ways-some lack ambition or self-esteem, or are very selfish, or are so mentally defective as to have very few mental tastes to gratify; but, by whomsoever laziness is manifested, that character is certainly defective in some department of his organism. Some are too delicately organized to be actively useful; such fragile beings are to be pitied. The remedy for such beings is to live much out of doors, to practice light gymnastics, eat food that can be easily assimilated, and endeavor to tone up the system by hygienic treatment. ANALYSIS OF OBSTINACY. Obstinacy proceeds from a disproportion between the bones and the muscles, whereby the former are too large and heavy for the muscles to move. The joints in obstinate subjects are large, and resemble those of the ass. Stupidity or mental obtuseness of some sort is always manifested by the excessively obstinate. It is a defective condition, and shows that it is such by the peculiarities of the disposition or by feeble mentality. Many obstinate people show in their face the absence of certain traits; the observing faculties in some are relatively feeble; in others, absence of color of the eyes; in others, want of good reasoning faculties; in others still, Conscientiousness is wanting. Whatever be the cause, the face as well as the entire body will reveal the defect. Parents should endeavor to ascertain what the defect is and then take measures to level up the weak part of the character. If it cannot be eradicated it can be modified by judicious training. ANALYSIS OF CONTRARINESS. Contrariness is often confounded with obstinacy by those not accustomed to analyze closely. Their methods of action are quite different, and their results also. Obstinacy is a firm, persistent, unyielding force. Contrariness is a shifting, changeable, inconsistent trait,-now agreeing, again opposing. Such characters are unreliable; one never knows what position they will maintain. Generally the last one who converses with a contrary character is able to gain and hold his approval of a plan proposed. Contrariness is a peculiarity of the muscular system, and shows by uncommon ease of the joints and too great flexibility of the muscles. The peculiarity of structure causes the muscles to shift and change rapidly, first in one direction and then in another. Those manifesting it often possess crookedness of some of the features of the face as well as of the limbs. A disproportion between the bones and muscles is the cause of this defect. The bones being relatively small and often round, and the muscles very flexible, this form of structure creates a shifting, changeable, and often brilliant mind in the direction of art or literature. The moral sense of this class is relatively feeble: Self-esteem wanting; Firmness at zero, and all of the substantial traits absent; yet Generosity and Sympathy present, as well as Amativeness and Love of Young, while Commercialism, Speculation, and Acquisitiveness are large. These analyses of defects serve to show how important is a balanced condition of all of the organs and systems of the body. Man in all ages has shown his instinctive appreciation of symmetry by his love and appreciation of symmetrically-built women; of these very few will be produced until the present abnormal taste in regard to the female figure is modified. Not until the small, wine-glass-shaped waist is known to be a more awful species of deformity than any produced by savages, and this changed to the normal form, which is just the reverse of the former, shall we have the highest type of human symmetry and real thorough-bred human beings. Practical and scientific, physiognomy teaches that all defects can be remedied to a large extent; hence, the defectively constituted need not despair of improvement. Were it not that human nature is most malleable there would be no hope for the wicked; but this science teaches not only how to improve those who are congenitally imperfect, but it also shows how to generate improved or superior offspring. Progress is the eternal law of Nature; hence, physiognomy does not condemn the unfortunate to endless suffering; neither does it lead to fatalism, as do many theologies, but bids humanity work for that perfectness which is sure to be the reward of those who apply the laws of Nature intelligently. That old slander upon science, viz., that "it leaves man without hope for the future," is entirely disproved by physiognomy, for above and beyond all theologies it shows him that absolute bodily perfection and eternal happiness is the destiny of all who are generated and governed by natural law. |