The principles of philosophy demonstrate that the human features are a
reflex of the mental and physical workings of the system, as it is from
time to time operated upon by surrounding circumstances, and they
therefore act an important part in depicting the lights and shades of
temperament and disposition. So, also, the color and nature of the hair
are indicative of character. In the pages immediately following will be
found fully presented prognostics to be drawn from the latter, as also
from the forehead, eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, chin, and the whole
assemblage of features.
The gentleman whose hair is very black and smooth, hanging far over his
shoulders, and in large quantity, is mild, but resolute; cool until
greatly provoked; not much inclined to excesses; constant in his
attachments; not liable to many misfortunes.
A lady with the same kind of hair is moderate in her desires of every
kind; addicted to reflection; not violent in love, but steady in her
attachments.
If the hair is very black, short and curling, the gentleman will be very
much given to liquor; somewhat quarrelsome and of unsettled temper;
desirous of riches, but will often be disappointed in his wishes therein.
A gentleman with dark brown, long and smooth hair, is generally of a
robust constitution; obstinate in his temper, eager in his pursuits, a
lover of the fair sex, fond of variety in his ordinary pursuits,
exceedingly curious, and of a flexible disposition. He will live long,
unless guilty of early intemperance.
A lady with the same kind of hair will be nearly the same as the
gentleman, but more steady in her conduct and attachments, especially in
love. She will be of a good constitution, have many children, enjoy good
health and a reasonable share of happiness.
If the hair is short and bushy it will make very little alteration in the
gentleman or lady, but that the gentleman will be more forward to strike
when provoked and the lady will be more of a scold.
A gentleman with light brown, long, smooth hair, is of a peaceable, even,
and rather generous temper; will prevent mischief if in his power, but
when very much provoked will strike furiously; but is afterwards sorry for
his passion and soon appeased; strongly attached to the company of ladies
and will protect them from insult. Upon the whole, he is in general of an
amiable character, affable and kind.
A lady with the same kind of hair is tender-hearted, but hasty in temper;
neither obstinate nor haughty; her inclination to love never unreasonable;
her constitution will be good, but she will be seldom very fortunate.
A gentleman with fair hair will be of a weak constitution; his mind given
much to reflection, especially on religious matters. He will be assiduous
in his occupation, but not given to rambling; very moderate in his amorous
wishes; but he will not live to an old age.
A lady with this colored hair is on the contrary of a good constitution;
never to be diverted from her purpose; passionate in love affairs, never
easy unless in company, and delights in hearing herself praised,
especially for beauty; delights in dancing and strong exercises and
commonly lives to a great age.
A gentleman with long red hair is cunning, artful and deceitful; he is
much addicted to traffic of some kind, restless in his disposition,
constantly roving and desirous of enjoying the pleasures of love. He is
covetous of getting money and spends it foolishly; he is indefatigable and
no obstacle will induce him to forsake his enterprise until he has seen
the issue of it. He is inclined to timidity, but by reflection may correct
it and pass for a man of courage.
A lady with the same kind of hair, is glib of tongue, talkative and vain;
her temper is impatient and fiery and will not submit to contradiction;
she has a constant flow of spirits and is much given to the pleasures of
love. However delicate her person may seem, her constitution is generally
vigorous; but she seldom lives to see old age, for obvious reasons. Her
promises are seldom to be depended upon, because the next object that
engrosses her attention makes her forgetful of everything that preceded
it, and she will always resent any disappointment she may meet with.
If the hair falls off at the fore part of the head, the person will be
easily led, though otherwise rational, and will often be duped when he
thinks he is acting right; he will likewise frequently meet with
disappointments in money matters, which will either hurt his credit, or
force him to shorten his expenses.
If the hair falls off behind, he will be obstinate, peevish, passionate
and fond of commanding others, though he has no right, and will grow angry
if his advice is not followed. However preposterous, he will be fond of
hearing and telling old stories and tales of ghosts and fairies, but will
be a good domestic man and provide for his family to the utmost of his
power.
If the hair forms an arch around the forehead, without being much
indented at the temples, both the lady and the gentleman will be innocent,
credulous, moderate in all their desires, and though not ardent in their
pursuits, will still be persevering. They will be modest, good-natured,
prosperous and happy.
If the hair is indented at the temples, the person will be affable,
steady, good-natured, prudent and attentive to business, of a good
constitution and long-lived.
If the hair descends low upon the forehead, the person will be selfish and
designing; of a surly disposition, unsociable and given to drinking. He
will be addicted to avarice and his mind will be always intent upon the
means of carrying on his schemes.
The forehead that is large, round and smooth, announces the lady or
gentleman to be frank, open, generous and free, good-natured and a safe
companion; of a good understanding and scorns to be guilty of any mean
action; faithful to his promises, just in his dealings, steadfast in his
engagements and sincere in his affections; he will enjoy a moderate state
of health.
If the forehead is flat in the middle, the gentleman or lady will be found
to be vainglorious and but little disposed to generosity; very tenacious
of his honor, but brave; he will be fond of prying into the secrets of
others, though not with the intention of betraying them; he will be fond
of reading newspapers, history, novels, and plays; ardent, and very
cautious of his own reputation.
If there be a hollow across the forehead, in the middle, with a ridge as
of flesh, above, and another below, the gentleman will be a good scholar,
and the lady a great manufacturer, or attentive to whatever occupation she
may be engaged in. They will be warm in argument or debate; they will be
firm and steady in any point they fix their minds upon and by their
perseverance will generally carry their object; yet they will meet with
many crosses, but will bear them with patience.
If the forehead juts out immediately at and over the eyebrows, running
flat up to the hair, the gentleman or lady will be sullen, proud,
insolent, imperious and treacherous; they will be impatient when
contradicted, apt to give great abuse, and to strike if they think they
can do it with advantage. They will also impose upon any person, never
forgive any injury and by their misconduct make themselves many enemies.
If the temples are hollow, with the bones advancing towards the forehead
on either side, so that the space between must be necessarily flat, with a
small channel or indentation rising from the upper part of the nose to the
hair, the gentleman or lady will be of a daring and intrepid temper,
introducing themselves into matters where they have no business, desirous
of passing for wits, and of a subtle and enterprising nature; greedy of
praise, quick in quarrel, and of a wandering disposition; very lewd, and
full of resentment when they feel their pride hurt. In short, they delight
in mischief, riots, &c.
If the eyebrows are very hairy, and that hair long and curled, with
several of the hairs starting out, the gentleman or lady is of a gloomy
disposition, litigious and quarrelsome, although a coward; greedy after
the affairs of this world, perpetually brooding over some melancholy
subject and not an agreeable companion. He will be diffident, penurious,
and weak in his understanding; never addicted to any kind of learning. He
will pretend much friendship, but will make his affected passion
subservient to his pecuniary designs, and given to drinking, &c.
If a gentleman or lady has long eyebrows, with some long hairs, they will
be of a fickle disposition, weak-minded, credulous and vain, always
seeking after novelties and neglecting their own business; they will be
talkative, pert, and disagreeable in company; very fond of contradiction,
and will not bear disappointment patiently; and also much addicted to
drinking, &c.
If the eyebrows are thick and even, that is, without any or few starting
hairs, the lady or gentleman will be of an agreeable temper, sound
understanding and tolerable wit; moderately addicted to pleasure, fearful
of giving offence, but intrepid and persevering in support of right;
charitable and generous, sincere in their professions of love and
friendship and enjoy a good constitution.
If the eyebrow is small, thin of hair, and even, the lady or gentleman
will be weak-minded, timorous, superficial and not to be depended on; they
will be desirous of knowledge, but will not have patience and assiduity to
give it the necessary attention; they will be desirous of praise for
worthy actions, but will not have the spirit or perseverance to perform
them in that degree of excellence that is requisite to attract the notice
of wise men. They will be of a delicate constitution.
If the eyebrow is thick of hair towards the nose and goes off suddenly
very thin, ending in a point, the lady or gentleman will be surly,
capricious, jealous, fretful and easily provoked to rage; in their love
they will be intemperate.
The eye that is large, full, prominent and clear, denotes a lady or
gentleman to be of an ingenious and candid disposition, void of deceit and
of an even, agreeable and affable disposition; modest and bashful in love,
though by no means an enemy to its gratification; firm, though not
obstinate; of a good understanding, of an agreeable but not brilliant wit;
but clear and just in argument; inclined to extravagance and easily
imposed upon.
The eye that is small, but advanced in the head, shows the lady or
gentleman to be of a quick wit, sound constitution, lively genius,
agreeable company and conversation, good morals, but rather inclined to
jealousy; attentive to business, fond of frequently changing his place,
punctual in fulfilling his engagements, warm in love, prosperous in his
undertakings and generally fortunate in most things.
The lady or gentleman whose eyes are sunk in the head is of a jealous,
distrustful, malicious and envious nature; deceitful in their words and
actions, never to be depended upon; cunning in overreaching others,
vainglorious and associates with lewd and bad company.
The gentleman or lady who squints, or have their eyes turned awry, will be
of a penurious disposition, but punctual in their dealings.
A black eye is lively, brisk and penetrating, and proves the person who
possesses it to be of a sprightly wit, lively conversation, not easily
imposed upon, of a sound understanding, but if taken on the weak side, may
be led astray for a while.
A hazel eye shows the person to be of a subtle, piercing and frolicsome
turn, rather inclined to be arch, and sometimes mischievous, but
good-natured at the bottom. He will be strongly inclined to love and not
over delicate in the means of gratifying that propensity.
A blue eye shows the person to be of a meek and gentle temper, affable and
good-natured, credulous and incapable of violent attachment; over-modest,
cool and undisturbed by turbulent passions, of a strong memory, in
constitution neither robust nor delicate, subject to no violent impression
from the vicissitudes of life, whether good or bad.
A gray eye denotes the person to be of weak intellect, devoid of wit, but
a plain, plodding, downright drudge, that will act as he is spirited by
others. He will be slow in learning anything that requires attention; he,
however, will be just to the best of his understanding.
A wall eye denotes the person to be of a hasty, passionate and
ungovernable temper, subject to sudden and violent anger; haughty to his
equals and superiors, but mild and affable to his inferiors.
A red, or as it is vulgarly called, a saucer eye, denotes the person to be
selfish, deceitful and proud; furious in anger, fertile in the invention
of plots and indefatigable in his resolution to bring them to bear.
A nose that comes even on the ridge, flat on the sides, with little or no
hollow between the eyes, declares the man to be sulky, insolent,
disdainful, treacherous and self-sufficient; if it has a point descending
over the nostrils, he is avaricious and unfeeling, vainglorious and
ignorant; peevish, jealous, quick in resentment, yet a coward at the
bottom.
A nose that rises with a sudden bulge a little below the eyes, and then
falls again into a kind of hollow below, is petulant and noisy, void of
science and of a very light understanding.
The nose that is small, slender and peaked, shows the person to be of a
fearful disposition, jealous, fretful and insidious, ever suspicious of
those about him, catching at every word that he can interpret to his own
advantage to ground his dispute upon and also very curious to know what is
said and done.
The nose that is small, tapering round in the nostrils and cocked up,
shows the person to be ingenious, smart, of a quick apprehension, giddy
and seldom looking into consequences; but generous, agreeable, so as to
carefully avoid giving offence; but resolute in doing himself justice when
he receives an injury.
The lips that are thick, soft and long, announce the person to be of weak
intellect, credulous and slightly peevish, but by a little soothing easily
brought back to a good humor. He is much addicted to the pleasures of
love, and scarcely moderate in his enjoyment of them; yet he is upright in
his conduct and of a timorous temper.
If the under lip is much thicker than the upper, and more prominent, the
person is of a weak understanding, but artful, knavish and given to
chicanery to the full extent of his ability.
The lips that are moderately plump and even, declare the person to be
good-humored, humane, sensible, judicious and just, neither giddy nor
torpid, but pursuing in every particular a just medium.
The lips that are thin, show the person to be of a quick and lively
imagination, ardent in the pursuit of knowledge, indefatigable in labor,
not too much attached to money, eager in the pursuit of love, more brave
than otherwise and tolerably happy in life.
The lips that are thin and sunk inwards, denote the person to be of a
subtle and persevering disposition, everlasting in hatred and never
sparing any pains to compass his revenge; in love or friendship much more
moderate and uncertain.
The chin that is round, with a hollow between it and the lip, shows the
person to be of a good-humored disposition, kind and honest; he is sincere
in his friendship and ardent in his love; his understanding is good and
his genius capacious. If he has a dimple it makes him better.
The chin that comes down flat from the edge of the lips and ends in a kind
of a chisel form, shows the person to be silly, credulous, ill-tempered
and greedy of unmerited honors; captious, wavering and unsteady; he will
affect great modesty in the presence of others, though he will not scruple
to do the vilest actions when he thinks himself secure from discovery.
The chin that is pointed upwards shows the person to be much given to
contrivances. However fair he may speak to you, you can never depend on
his friendship, as his purpose is only to make you subservient to his own
designs. In love his generosity will be of the same stamp.
Of the face in general, the person whose features are strong, coarse and
unpleasant to the eye, is of a selfish, brutal, rough and unsocial
disposition; greedy of money, harsh in expressions, but will sometimes
fawn with a bad grace to gain his ends.
The face that is plump, round and ruddy, denotes the person to be of an
agreeable temper, a safe companion, hearty, jovial, fond of company, of
sound principles and a clear understanding, faithful in love, &c.
The face that is thin, smooth and even, with well-proportioned features,
shows the person to be of a good disposition, but penetrative and active;
somewhat inclined to suspicion, yet of an agreeable conversation;
assiduous in the pursuits of love and strongly addicted to the delights of
love.
A face whose cheek bones jut out with thin jaws, is of a restless and
thinking disposition; fretful, &c.
A face that is pale by nature, denotes a timorous disposition, but greatly
desirous of carnal pleasures.
A face that is unequally red, whether streaked or appearing in spots,
shows the person to be weak both in body and mind, yielding easily to
affliction and sickness.
A face blotched shows the person to be addicted to drinking and vice,
though frequently possessing the art to conceal the inclination therefor.
The head that is large and round shows that the person has a tolerable
understanding, but not near so good as he imagines.
The head that is small and round, or if the face comes tapering, shows the
person of an acute, penetrating disposition, much given to bantering
humor, but of great sensibility.
The head that is flat on either side, and deep from the face to the back,
shows the person to be of a good understanding, deep penetration, great
memory and of an agreeable temper; of slow belief and not easily imposed
upon.
Big and broad ears signify a simple man, of no understanding; sluggish,
slothful and of an ill memory. Small ears denote a good understanding; but
very small ears signify nothing but mischief and malice. Those that have
them well proportioned, and neither too small nor too large, are persons
of good understanding, wise, discreet, honest, shamefaced and courageous.
Those that have them somewhat long and thin, are bold, impudent,
unlearned, gluttons and very proud and scornful.
A thin, soft beard denotes a person lustful and effeminate, of a tender
body, fearful, delicate and inconstant.
A red beard denotes first, a placid forehead, and the person is courteous
and friendly, but not without some craft; is a very great flatterer, very
soon angry and affects consequence.
A dark beard is good, but the possessor is usually of a melancholy
disposition; yet it denotes a person to be ingenious, sincere, thoughtful,
constant, cordial, bold and fit to make a warrior.
A pale beard denotes a phlegmatic person, who is temperate enough and
tolerably prudent.
He that hath a decent beard, handsome and thick of hair, is good-natured
and reasonable in all things.
Those who have little or no beard, but a small mustache, are of an ill
humor, but very luxurious.