Deep indenting in the bones of the fore head, situated between the eye-brows, and extending in a perpendicular direc tion, mark the happy few who possess ge nerous and noble minds, connected with excellence of understanding ; besides, a blue vena frontalis, in the form of a Y, situated in an arched smooth forehead, is an indication of similar advantages. La ,yater having given the above hints, des cribes the following characteristics, which, he asserts, give " the indubitable signs of an excellent, a perfectly beautiful and significant, intelligent, and noble fore. head." Such must be one-third of the face in length, or that of the nose, and from the nose to the chin ; the upper part must be oval, in the manner of the great men of England, or nearly square ; the skin must be smooth, and wrinkled only when the mind is roused to just in dignation, or deeply immersed in thought, and during the paroxysms of pain ; the upper part must recede, and the lower project; the eye-bones must be horizon tal, and present a perfect curve upon *be ing observed from above ; an intersecting cavity should divide the forehead into four distinct parts, but with that slight effect as to be only visible with a clear de scending light ; and all the outlines should be composed of such, that if the section of one-third only is observed, it would be difficult to decide whether they were cir cular or straight ; to conclude this por trait of a transcendent forehead, the skin must be more transparent, and of a finer tint, than the remainder of the face.— Should an infant, a relative, or friend, who possesses a forehead resembling the above description, seriously err, the good enthusiast entreats, that the corrector may not despair of success, as in all hu man probability the latent seeds of virtue may be roused into growth by perseve rance, and finally produce the desired fruit.
The eyes of mankind are composed of various shades of colour, the most com mon of which are grey mixed with white, grey tinged with blue, and shades of green, orange, and yellow. According to Buffon, the orange and blue are most predominant, and those colours often meet in the same eye; those generally supposed be black are not really so, and may be found on attentive examination, and with a proper disposition of the light, to consist of yellow, a deep orange, or brown, which being violently opposed to the clear white of the ball, assumes a darkness mistaken for black. The same naturalist observes, that shades of yel low, orange, blue, and grey, are visible in the same eye, and when blue, even of the lightest tint, appears, it is invariably the predominant colour, and may be found in rays dispersed throughout the iris : the orange is differently disposed, at a tri fling distance from the pupil, is in flakes, and round; but the blue so far overpow ers it, that the eye assumes the appear ance of being wholly of that colour. The fire and vivacity emitted by the eye can not be so powerful in those of the lighter tints ; it is therefore in the dark ones alone that we look for the emotions of the soul ; quiet and mildness, and a cer tain degree of archness, are the charac teristics of the blue. Some eyes are re
markable for the absence of colour ; the iris is faintly shaded with blue or grey, and the tints of orange are so light that they are hardly observable ; in eyes thus constituted, the black of the pupil ap pears too conspicuous, and it may be said that portion is alone visible at a little dis tance, which circumstance gives the per son a ghastly and spiritless appearance.
There are eyes whose iris may be said to be almost green ; but these arc very uncommon. It would require the pen of an inspired writer to describe the aston ishing variety of expression of which the eyes are capable: being situated near the supposed seat of the soul, every sensa tion of that invisible spirit appears to rush in full vigour from those intelligent organs all the passions may be seen in them : we shrink from their indications of anger, we find pleasure with all her train of joys dancing in them, we feel their force in love, and melt into tears upon observing them suffused with the moisture of grief; in short their language is far more power ful than that of the tongue. The transi tions are so rapid in the expression of the eyes, that it requires very close and atten tive examination to catch and describe the emotions of the mind visible in them ; admitting this tact, it will appear that the physiognomist is liable to numerous and egregious errors in drawing his conclu sion of propensities from them. Paracel sus, a man of strong genius, and, like La vater, misguided in many instances by enthusiasm, and a kind of superstition allied to the study of this art or science, pronounced that those eyes generally term ed black frequently denoted health, firm ness, courage and honour ; but the grey, deceit and instability. Thus far proba bility at least accompanies his remarks. It is, however, impossible to subscribe to his assertion, that short-sighted persons are deceitful and crafty, or that those who squint have similar propensities to evil, as it is evident both the peculiarities alluded to are the consequences of inju ry, and are never found in people whose organs of vision are perfect : indeed ma. ny instances might be cited of the actual and known causes of squinting and 'near sight, which frequently occur in adults from extreme anxiety and disease.
/ Small eyes situated deep in the sock ets are said, by Paracelsus, to indicate active wickedness, with a mind calculat ed to oppose with vigour, and suffer with perseverance ; and their opposites, or verylarge prominent eyes, he conceived, explained the avaricious, covetous, pro pensities of their possessor; those in con stant motion denote fear and care ; wink ing is the mark of foresight, of an amo rous disposition, and quickness in pro jecting ; and the eye fearful of looking directly forward, decides upon innate mo desty.