L. N. Fowler

“ It is, therefore, the quintessence of all knowledge; places its possessor upon the very acme of enjoyment and perfection; and bestows the highest powers and richest treasures mortals can possess. In short, to know ourselves perfectly, is to know every law of our being, every condition of happiness, and every cause of suffering; and to practice such knowledge, is to render ourselves as perfectly happy, throughout every department of our being, as we can possibly be and live. ”

“ Large.—Is a warm, cordial, ardent friend; readily forms friendships, and attracts friendly regards in return; must have society of some kind; with Benevolence large, is hospitable, and delights to entertain friends; with Alimentiveness large, loves the social banquet, and sets the best before friends; with Approbativeness large, sets the world by their commendation, but is terribly cut by their rebukes; with the moral faculties large, seeks the society of the moral and elevated, and can enjoy the friendship of no others ”

“ Few men have for their motive the mere exercise of will—that is, Firmness is generally exercised to carry into effect the design of the other faculties; and instead of subjecting the other faculties to itself, simply keeps them at their work, whatever that work may be. And thus of some other faculties. But Amativeness, Friendship, Appetite, Acquisitiveness, Benevolence, Veneration, Conscientiousness, or Intellect, Constructiveness, Ideality, or the observing faculties, may all become dominant motives. ”

“ The mere expression of eye conveys precise ideas of the existing and predominant states of the mentality and physiology. As long as the constitution remains unimpaired, the eye is clear and bright, but becomes languid and soulless in proportion as the brain has been enfeebled. Wild, erratic persons, have a half-crazed expression of eye, while calmness, benignancy, intelligence, purity, sweetness, love, lasciviousness, anger, and all the other mental affections, express themselves quite as distinctly in the eye as voice, or any other mode. ”

“ Whatever makes a noise, from the deafening roar of sea, cataract, and whirlwind’s mighty crash, through all forms of animal life, to the sweet and gentle voice of woman, makes a sound which agrees perfectly with its character. ”

“ Very Large.—Shrinks from death, and clings to life with desperation; struggles with the utmost determination against disease and death; nor gives up to die till the very last, and then by the hardest; with Cautiousness very large, and Hope moderate, shudders at the very thought of dying, or being dead; but with Hope large, expects to live against hope and experience. Combinations like those under large, allowance being made for the increase of this faculty.
Full.—Loves life, and clings tenaciously to it, yet not extravagantly; hates to die, yet yields to disease and death, though reluctantly. ”

“ Acquired good enables whatever of life power there is, to perform all of which it is capable; with parental good, furnishes a full supply of vital power, and that activity which works it all up in mental or physical labor. With parental very good, puts forth a most astonishing amount of effort, and endures wonders without injury; possesses remarkable clearness and wholeness of mind; thinks and feels directly to the purpose; gives point and cogency to every thing; and confers a superior amount of healthy intellectuality, morality, and mentality, in general. ”

“ Throughout universal nature, the structure of all things is powerful or weak, hard or soft, coarse or fine, etc., in accordance with its functions; and in this there is a philosophical fitness or adaptation. What immense power of function trees put forth, to rear and sustain aloft, at such great mechanical disadvantage, their ponderous load and vast canvas of leaves, limbs, and fruit or seeds, spread out to all the surgings of tempestuous winds and storms; and the texture of wood is as compact and firm as its functional power is prodigious. ”

“ Greater breadth than sharpness, or more vitality than action, causes sluggishness, dullness of feeling, and inertness, while too great action for strength, wears out its possessor prematurely. More prominence than sharpness, leaves talents latent, or undeveloped, while predominant sharpness and breadth, give such exquisite sensibilities, as that many things harrow up all the finer sensibilities of keen-feeling souls. But when all are powerful and EQUALLY BALANCED, they combine all the conditions of power, activity, and susceptibility ”

“ Very Large.—Evinces the characteristics of large, only in a still higher degree; is very apt to be pompous, supercilious, proud, and imperious; will do nothing except it be on the largest scale; yet, unless Causality be large, is apt to fail, because ambition is too great for the calibre; with large Firmness, Approbativeness, and Hope, is a real aristocrat, and puts himself above every body else; with only average Approbativeness and Agreeableness, takes no pains to smooth off the rougher points of character, but is every way repulsive ”

“ Hence God has caused the inherent character of every living being and thing to gush out through every organ of the body, and every avenue of the soul; and also created in both brute and man a character-reading faculty, to take intuitive cognizance of the mental operations. Nor will she let any one lie, any more than lie herself, but compels all to carry the flag of their character at their mast-heads, so that all acquainted with the signs may see and read. ”

“ There is, moreover, a natural language of money-loving, and that is a leaning forward and turning of the head to one side, as if in ardent pursuit of something, and ready to grasp it with outstretched arms; while Alimentiveness, situated lower down, hugs itself down to the dainty dish with the greediness of an epicure, better seen than described. ”

“ Thus Indians talk more down the throat than white men, and thus of those men who are lower or higher in the human scale. Those whose voices are clear and distinct have clear minds, while those who only half form their words, or are heard indistinctly, say by deaf persons, are mentally obtuse. Those who have sharp, shrill intonations have correspondingly intense feelings, and equal sharpness both of anger and kindness, as is exemplified by every scold in the world; whereas those with smooth, or sweet voices have corresponding evenness and goodness of character. ”

“ Some faculties, though very dominant in power, cannot, in their very nature, constitute a motive for action, but are simply executive functions, simply carrying into effect the dominant motives. For example, Combativeness rarely ever becomes a distinct motive for action. Few men love simply to wrangle, quarrel, and fight for fun, but they exercise Combativeness merely as a means of obtaining the things desired by the other dominant faculties. ”

“ Self-knowledge, by teaching the laws and conditions of life and health, becomes the most efficacious means of [Pg 10] prolonging the former and increasing the latter—both of which are paramount conditions of enjoying and accomplishing. It also shows us our natural talents, capabilities, virtues, vices, strong and weak points, liabilities to err, etc., and thereby points out, unmistakably, those occupations and spheres in which we can and cannot succeed and shine; and develops the laws and conditions of human and personal virtue and moral perfection, as well as of vice, and how to avoid it. ”

“ Moderate.—Rather underrates personal capabilities and worth; feels rather inferior, unworthy, and humble; lacks dignity and manliness, and is rather apt to say and do trifling things, and let itself down; with large intellectual and moral organs, leads off well when once placed in a responsible position, yet at first distrusts its own capabilities; with large Conscientiousness, Combativeness, and activity, often appears self-sufficient and positive, because certain of being right, yet it is founded more on reason than egotism ”

“ Conscience and Combativeness large, sticks to the right, though it is unpopular, knowing that it will ultimately confer honor; with large Benevolence, seeks praise for works of philanthropy and mercy; with large intellectual organs, loves literary and intellectual distinctions; with large Adhesiveness, desires the good opinion of friends, yet cares little for that of others; with large Self-Esteem, Combativeness, and excitability, is very touchy when criticised, seeks public life, wants all the praise, and hates rivals ”

“ Yet contradictory as it may seem, these same persons not unfrequently combine both sharpness and softness of voice, and such always combine them in character. There is also the intellectual, the moral, the animal, the selfish, the benignant, the mirthful, the devout, the love, and many other intonations, each accompanying corresponding peculiarities of characters. In short, every individual is compelled, by every word he utters, to manifest something of his true character—a sign of character as diversified as it is correct. ”

“ Coarseness of texture indicates a coarseness of function; while a fine organization indicates a corresponding fineness of mentality. And since when one part is coarse or fine, all are equally so, so, therefore, coarseness of skin and hair indicate a coarse-grained brain, and coarseness of mind; yet since coarseness indicates power, such persons usually posses a great deal of character of some kind. Hence dark-skinned nations are behind light-haired in all the improvements of the age, and the higher, finer manifestations of humanity. ”

“ Small.—Is perfectly transparent; seems to be just what, and all that, it really is, disdains concealment in all its forms; is no hypocrite, but passive and unequivocal in all it says or does; carries the soul in the hands and face, and makes its way directly to the feelings, because it expresses itself so unequivocally; with large Cautiousness, is guarded in action, but unguarded in expression; frees its mind regardless of consequences, yet shows much prudence in other respects ”

“ Full.—Takes good care of what it possesses, and uses vigorous exertions to enhance them; values property for itself and its uses; is industrious, yet not grasping; and saving, without being close; with large Benevolence, is too ready to help friends; and with large Hope added, too liable to endorse; and with an active temperament, is too industrious to come to want; yet too generous ever to be rich. ”

“ You know another neighbor who is exceedingly cautious, timid, safe wise, and hesitating; who always looks at the objections and difficulties in the way of a particular measure, instead of at its advantages; who always takes abundant time to consider, and is given to procrastination. Learn the location of Cautiousness, and see whether he has this phrenological organ as conspicuous as you know this faculty to exist in his character. ”

“ Those who laugh very heartily, have much cordiality and whole-souledness of character, except that those who laugh heartily at trifles, have much feeling, yet little sense. Those whose giggles are rapid, but light, have much intensity of feeling, yet lack power; whereas those who combine rapidity with force in laughing, combine them in character. ”

“ Very Large.—Feels the most powerful indignation, amounting even to rage and violence, when thoroughly provoked; and with large or very large Combativeness, acts like a chafed lion, and feels like rushing into the midst of perilous dangers. ”

“ When, however, the head is as wide at Ideality as at Cautiousness, the subject will be found possessed of unusual good taste, purity, refinement, elevation, and personal perfection. Half an inch forward of Ideality is the organ which appertains to dress, and secures personal neatness. In those who care but little what they wear, or how they appear, this organ will be found small. ”

“ Thus those who give a tame and loose hand, and shake lightly, have a cold, if not heartless and selfish disposition, rarely sacrificing much for others—probably conservatives, and lack warmth of soul. But those who grasp firmly, and shake heartily, have a corresponding whole-souledness of character, are hospitable, and will sacrifice business to friends; while those who bow low when they shake [Pg 29] hands, add deference to friendship, and are easily led, for good or bad, by friends. ”

“ Large.—Is always on the look-out; takes ample time to get ready; provides against prospective dangers; makes every thing safe; guards against losses and evils; incurs no risk; sure binds that it may sure find; with large Combativeness, Hope, and an active temperament, drives, Jehu-like, whatever is undertaken, yet drives cautiously; lays on the lash, yet holds a tight rein, so as not to upset its plans; with Large Approbativeness, is doubly cautious as to character; with large Approbativeness and small Acquisitiveness, is extra careful of character, but not of money ”

“ Large.—Reads men intuitively from their looks, conversation, manners, and walk, and other kindred signs of character; with Individuality and Comparison large, notices all the little things they do, and founds a correct estimate upon them, and should follow first impressions touching persons; with full Secretiveness and large Benevolence added, knows just how to take men, and possesses much power over mind; with Mirthfulness and Ideality large, sees all the faults of people, and makes much fun over them; with Comparison large, has a turn for metaphysics, etc. ”