CHAPTER I. PRACTICAL PHYSIOGNOMY. THE THREE NATURAL AND PRIMITIVE DIVISIONS OF THE FACE CREATED BY THE MOUTH, THE NOSE, AND THE EYES. T HE MOUTH.-Nature has divided the face into three primary and principal divisions, each of these divisions having for a centre a feature which is representative of a certain organ system within the body. The mouth is the centre of the most primitive system of functions, viz., that of digestion, and this feature and its surroundings as we find them in developed man disclose the size, power, and condition of the various organs and functions which assist the processes of digestion, viz., secretion, excretion, growth, and reproduction, the primitive functions. This division is named the vegetative system, and is mainly chemical in its action. B THE NOSE.-The nose is the centre of the second natural division of the face, and represents by its form, height, and size of the nostrils the size and vigor of the lungs, heart, liver, and stomach; also the activity of the brain, for lungs, heart, and brain stand in direct relationship with each other. The activity of the brain is dependent upon the rate of motion of the circulation of the blood for its ability to perform rapid, clear, and strong thinking. The larger the nostrils, the broader the thorax, and generally the middle portion of the face. FIG. 12.-THE THREE NATURAL AND THE EYES.-The eyes form the third natural centre of a group of local signs of character. The eyes indicate, primarily, the ability for receiving sensations and impressions by virtue of the connection with and expansion of the optic nerve; and, secondly, the capacity for motion by virtue of their muscular formation, which exceeds in variety of movement, as well as excessive muscular development, any other portion of the muscular system; hence, the eye is properly the facial representative of that system. The eye represents by its size the muscular development of the entire body. The large, full, convex eye denotes more powerful muscles than the small, sunken eye. The large eye is the eye of magnitude, the small eye the eye of accuracy.* The degree of brightness of the eye reveals the quality of the brain and nervous system. These three natural divisions of the face are related to and exhibit the signs of the five superior systems of the body, viz., the vegetative, the thoracic, the muscular, the osseous, and brain and nerve systems. The predominance of one of these systems over the others creates a distinct mental character and an entirely different bodily form. The first division (A, Fig. 12) indicates the vegetative functions. Its development creates and sustains the moral, domestic, and social functions and faculties. The dominance of this system is indicated by soft, fatty tissue all over the body; full cheeks; large, globular face; wide mouth, full lips; round, fat chin; the nose short and broad; small, sleepy eyes; low, narrow forehead; small head, large abdomen; short, fat arms, legs, hands, and feet; and short, round body. The second grand division (B, Fig. 12) exhibits the signs for all functions which create and sustain architectural or formative efforts, both in the body and externally, in mechanism, art, literature, etc. It is very properly denominated "architectural" because it discloses the signs for all the constructive powers inherent in the human body and mind. The functions which are exhibited by signs in this division of the face are mainly mechanical, and are illustrated in the mechanism of man's body. For example, the several lever powers in the interaction of the bones and muscles; the pulley in one of the muscles of the eye; the hinge-joint in the elbow, ankle, and knee; the ball-and-socket joint in the articulation of the thighjoint; the principle of the valve in the heart, pylorus, and veins; while the mechanical principles of acoustics, optics, pneumatics, magnetism, capillary attraction, and gravitation are all included in the organs and functions which are represented in this division of the face. The mental powers which are exhibited and sustained by the action of these several mechanical principles enable one to * The mechanical construction, also, must be perfect in order to produce accuracy of vision. illustrate in his work, whether in architecture, art, or fiction, the same formative, constructive principles. The third natural division of the face (C, Fig. 12) represents the developed brain and nervous system, and discloses the local signs for abstract reason, mathematical ability, and intuition. These three grand divisions of primitive man and of childhood have in the highly-developed mature human being a superaddition Mathematical and Reasoning. Mechanical and Practical.. Executive. Artistic and Domestic, Moral, and Social. FIG. 13.-THE FIVE PRACTICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF THE FACE. of faculties which are the result of evolutionary progress and refinement, and are not primitive faculties except in their rudimentary state. In infancy, as well as in undeveloped races, many of the facial signs of character are not recognizable because the facial features are not developed fully-the nose and chin, for example; neither are the functions of the several organ systems of the body matured in youth. The reproductive system is not functionally active, nor are the bones complete in number-the teeth, for example. Many of the bones of the body are not completely ossified and perfected in childhood. A good physiognomist can readily recognize the latent powers by reference to those parts of the same system which are developed. The dominance of the thoracic system causes the formation of one distinct form, while the preponderance of the osseous system produces another quite different formation of body and distinct mental powers. The muscular system in the ascendency creates another variety of body and mind, while the brain and nervous system creates yet another distinct formation of body. As these are all described in Chapter III, a minute description of them here is unnecessary. THE FIVE PRACTICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF THE FACE. THE FACIAL SIGNS OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ORGANS AND FUNCTIONS. In describing the signs of character in the five subdivisions of the face, I have decided to first give the signs for the physical functions, and follow with the signs for the mental faculties and domestic sentiments, which are created by the development of the physical functions. DIGESTION, OR ALIMENTIVENESS.-The five subdivisions of the face not only unfold all of man's mental character, but at the same time disclose all the peculiarities of his physiological and anatomical structure. The first division reveals, by the size of the mouth, the lips, and fullness of the cheeks, that the process of digestion or assimilation of nutriment is perfect; but where the mouth is narrow, the lips thin, and the cheeks hollow, we find not only poor digestive capacity, but corresponding enfeebled mental powers; for in the vegetative system, where assimilation of both liquid and solid food takes place, size of the apparatus involved counts. for a good deal, and here size is more indicative of power and capacity than in any of the higher divisions; that is to say, this department is less dependent upon quality than are the signs for mental powers. As we ascend the scale of progressive evolution, quality, refinement, and intensity of the higher faculties take the place of mere size as an active agent in producing high characteristics. Yet size of the mouth is one indicator of mental capacity, for without good nutritive capacity the mind would become enfeebled and decay. In order that the reader may comprehend the exact position of the facial signs for the visceral organs and other bodily systems, I introduce figure on opposite page, upon which are marked the positions of the signs of all those great formative visceral organs |