Alexander Macalister

“ The 18th century shows a still greater decline of interest in physiognomy. Historians of philosophy, like J. Meursius and Franz, re-edited some of the classical works, and G. G. Fulleborn reviewed the relation of physiognomy to philosophy. Indeed, the only name worthy of note is that of J. K. Lavater (q.v.) ”

“ Certain complex acts are of direct or indirect service, under certain conditions of the mind, in order to relieve or gratify certain sensations or desires; and whenever the same states of mind are induced the same sets of actions tend to be performed, even when they have ceased to be of use. ”

“ Then he studies the physiognomy of the sexes, and the characters derived from the different features, and from colour, hair, body, limbs, gait and voice. He compares the varieties of mankind to animals, the male to the lion, the female to the leopard. The general character of the work may be gathered from the following specimen. While discussing noses, he says that those with thick bulbous ends belong to persons who are insensitive, swinish; sharp-tipped belong to the irascible, those easily provoked, like dogs ”

“ When a directly opposite state of mind is induced to one with which a definite action is correlated, there is a strong and involuntary tendency to perform a reverse action. (3) When the sensorium is strongly excited nerve-force is generated in excess, and is transmitted in definite directions, depending on the connexions of nerve-cells and on habit. ”

“ A physiognomical study of the Homeric heroes is given by Mlalalas, Chronogr ed. Dindorf, v. 105. ↑ Περί άέρων ύόάτων, τόπων (ed. Kühn, i. 547) . ↑ Op. cit., xix. 530. ↑ Περί βίου Πυθαγορικού λόγος, i. 17 59 (Amsterdam, 1707) . ↑ De vita Pythagorae, p. 16 (Amsterdam, 1707) . This author tells us that he applied the same rule to his friends. ”