William Walker Atkinson

“ Heredity is simply the shoulders of the race affording us a place for our feet, in order that we may rise higher than those who lived before. For heredity, substitute evolution, and we may get a clearer idea of this element of character.
As for environment, it is folly to deny its influence. Take two young persons of equal ability, similar tastes, and the same heredity, and place them one in a small village, and the other in a great metropolis, and keep them there until middle-age, and we will see the influence of environment. ”

“ This quality manifests in a strong desire for a "mate"—and one mate only. While Amativeness may cause one to seek the society of many of the opposite sex, Conjugality will act only to cause one to seek the one life partner. Conjugality causes the desire to "mate for life." It is something quite different from Amativeness, although of course related to it. The location of its outer form, between Amativeness and Friendship, gives the key to its quality—love with companionship. Those in whom it is well developed are very close to their mates and tend toward jealousy ”

“ This Quality when full produces optimists; when weak, pessimists; when medium, the average person who swings between the two extremes partaking of the nature of each. [Pg 153] Those in whom it is developed to excess are apt to see success in everything, and with a lively imagination translate dreams into realities; of these persons it has been said: "show them an egg, and the next minute the air is full of feathers." When this Quality is weak the person is disposed to look for the worm in the apple, decay at the heart of the rose, and for the skeleton beneath the form of beauty. ”

“ A disembodied human emotion is a sheer nonentity. I do not say that it is a contradiction in the nature of things, or that pure spirits are necessarily condemned to cold intellectual lives; but I say that for us emotion disassociated from all bodily feeling is inconceivable. The more closely I scrutinize my states, the more persuaded I become that whatever 'coarse' affections and passions I have are in very truth constituted by, and made up of, those bodily changes which we ordinarily call their expression or consequence.... ”

“ Men and women of the highest Quality are essentially fine-grained, possessed of fine feelings, refined natures, high tastes, and manifest the signs of true natural refinement and culture, which cannot be successfully imitated by those who have acquired merely the artificial manner and the outward polish. One may possess Quality in a high degree and still be ignorant of the forms and little manners of so-called "polite society," and yet will be recognized as one of "Nature's noblemen," and as a "natural gentleman." ”

“ It is true that, "As a man thinketh, so is he," but a man's thoughts depend materially upon the associations of environment, experience, and suggestion. As Ziehen says: "We cannot think as we will, but we must think as just those associations which happen to be present prescribe."
But, without going further into the question of the elements which go toward forming character, let us take our position firmly upon the fact that each individual is stamped with the impression of a special character—a character all his own. Each has his own character or part to play in the great drama of life. ”

“ If Reverence be large, the trend of Infinity will be toward religious ideas—the greatness of God. If the intellectual faculties be in the ascendency, Infinity will lead to high conceptions of Space, Nature, the Infinite. If Ideality be large, Infinity will incline toward the grand and great in art. If Constructiveness be well developed, Infinity will impel to the creation of great works, enterprises, buildings, schemes, or what not. Infinity influences everything in the direction of largeness and greatness. ”

“ Habitual states of mind tend to produce habitual forms and expressions of face and body; a person who suffers pain for years, will have in the face an expression of the internal state; one who has been nurtured in gladness, though the face may not be beautiful, will wear the sunshine of joy; one who has had care and responsibility, will come to show it in the face, in the walk, and in the voice, as one who has been subjugated and kept subordinate will have the word humiliation written [Pg 160] in his features not only, but in all his movements and attitudes. ”

“ A little study and observation will convince anyone that the walk and carriage of an individual correspond very closely to his general character. And just as we may recognize one's mental characteristics when reproduced in outer form in the walk; so may we deduce the existence of mental characteristics in a stranger, from the outer form of his walk and carriage. The study of walk and carriage is very interesting, and will repay one for the time and trouble expended upon it. ”

“ It is impossible for us (at least by any of the five senses) to peer into the mental chamber of other men and there read the record of their character, or to interpret the combination of Human Nature therein moulded and formed. But nevertheless we are not balked in our desire, for by learning to interpret the outward signs of personality we may arrive with a wonderful degree of success at an understanding of the character, mind, or Human Nature in others. ”

“ I never knew a man distinguished for anything, not even crimes, to lack it. It is an indispensable prerequisite of greatness and goodness. Without it great talents are of little avail, for they accomplish little; but with it large, fair to middling capacities accomplish commendable results. Success in life depends more on this than on any other single attribute."
This Quality manifests outer form on the centre-line of the back part of the top head, just above Self-Esteem. ”

“ In nature the temperaments exist in combination, one being, however, the most conspicuous. So rarely do we find examples of an even mixture or balance, that it may be said that they who possess it are marvellous exceptions in the current of human society. Such an even mixture would indicate a most extraordinary heritage; it would be constitutional perfection. But, [Pg 64] once in a while, a person is met in whom there is a close approach to this balance, and we are accustomed to speak of it as a balanced temperament, it being difficult to determine which element is in predominance. ”

“ But, still, just as we may classify all things, animate and inanimate, into general classes and then into subordinate ones—each genus and each species having its particular characteristics, qualities and attributes, so we may, and do, classify human character into general classes and then into particular subdivisions into which each individual is found to fit. This fact makes it possible for us to study Human Nature as a science. ”

“ Just as character is the inner phase of Human Nature, so is personality its outer phase. To many the two terms are synonymous, but analysis will show the shades of difference between them. A man's character is his inner self, while his personality is the outward indication of his self. ”

“ A poetic turn of mind results from a peculiar mode of feeling. Vividness, glow, exaltation, imagination, inspiration, rapture, exaggeration, and warmth of expression are requisite for poetry. Poets depict a fictitious and imaginary world. This faculty gives glow to the other faculties; impresses the poetical and ideal; aspires to imaginary perfection in every thing; creates enthusiasm in friendship, virtue, painting, music, etc.; produces sentimentality, and leads to delicacy and susceptibility. ”

“ Laughter is full of the expression of character. One may often accurately determine the character of a person whose face is not seen or known. A hearty laugh is indicative of sympathy, companionship and general sociability, as well as a well developed sense of humor. ”

“ Large mouths denote matured character, good or bad. When firm, they denote force and energy. When half-open, they denote dullness and heaviness. When showing full protruding lips, they denote sensuality and selfish passions and tastes. When very large and flexible, they denote the "windy" person who is fond of talking and hearing the sound of his own voice—when one says that another is "big-mouthed" he states a truth which physiognomy bears out.
An upward curve of the corners of the mouth, denotes a cheerful, optimistic disposition and mental attitude. ”

“ A visit to a horse and cattle show, or a poultry and pigeon exhibition, will show even the most [Pg 49] skeptical person that Inner States manifest in Outer Form. And a little further study and observation will show that what is true of these lower animals is likewise true of the human being. Men, like animals, may be intelligently and scientifically classified according to the general "quality" or "temperament." While each individual is different in a way from every other individual, nevertheless, each individual belongs to a certain class and may be labelled accordingly. ”

“ The Vital element gives a plumpness to the form, while the Mental imparts a brightness to the mind. This is the temperament of many attractive women. The Mental activity tends to counterbalance the Vital tendency toward physical ease and comfort. These people make good orators, after dinner speakers, and agreeable society men and women, actors, artists, poets, and popular literary men. The respective predominance of the Mental or the Vital, in this combination, gives to this class somewhat of a variety, but a little observation will soon enable one to recognize the individuals belonging to it. ”

“ Human Nature is then a phase of psychology and subject to the laws, principles and methods of study, examination and consideration of that particular branch of science.
But while the general subject of psychology includes the consideration of the inner workings of the mind, the processes of thought, the nature of feeling, and the operation of the will, the special subject of Human Nature is concerned only with the question of character, disposition, temperament, personal attributes, etc., of the individuals making up the race of man. Psychology is general—Human Nature is particular. ”

“ Though all human beings have the general human form and features—though all have eyes, nose, mouth, chin, etc., yet each one has a different face and look from every other. And, more, yet, the same person has a very different facial look at different times, according as he is angry or friendly, etc. And always the same look when in the same mood. Of course, then, something causes this expression—especially, since all who are angry, friendly, etc., have one general or similar expression ”

“ The Mental element relieves the Motive of some of its crudeness and roughness, while the Motive relieves the Mental of its tendency to get away from the practical side of things. The strong frame and muscles are balanced by the brain-development. Those of this temperament make good practical business men, physicians, lawyers, scientists, explorers, and others who have to work and think at the same time. These people often manifest great executive ability. When the Motive predominates, the tendency is toward out-of-door occupations in which the brain is used in connection with bodily activity. ”

“ In the same way, the person of low Quality often may be moral according to the code, but will be coarse in the manifestation of that virtue, and may possess a certain low cunning which with many persons passes for intellect and "brains." In speaking of Quality, the words "fineness" and "coarseness" come easily to the mind and tongue and are perhaps the terms most suggestive of the two extremes of this attribute of the Man. ”

“ Destructiveness manifests in a tightening of the upper lid, and a bearing down upon the eyeball. Approbativeness gives a peculiar "coquettish" relaxation of the upper eye-lid, which is suggestive of the desire to wink in a meaning manner. Humor gives a peculiar contraction to the eye-lids, and at the same time producing the little lines radiating from each outer corner of the eye-lids—the "laughing wrinkles." Ideality, Optimism, and Mysticism impart an open expression to the eyes. Cautiousness, when large, also gives to the eyes an open, almost startled, surprised expression. ”

“ We are of the opinion that the first step in the process of correct understanding of any subject is that of acquaintance with its principal terms, and, so, we shall begin our consideration of the subject of Human Nature by an examination of the term used to express the idea itself. ”

“ Firmness gives a stiff, determined fortitude, decision of character; it serves to brace up the other faculties to the work in hand.... Firmness gives determination and obstinacy of purpose, while Continuity gives a patient, perfecting, plodding application. Of two stone-cutters with equal Firmness, they will be alike thorough and persevering, but if one has large Continuity he prefers to use the drill in one place for hours, while the other with small Continuity craves variety, and prefers to use the chisel in cutting and dressing the entire surface of the stone. ”

“ Smooth the brow, brighten the eye, contract the dorsal rather than the ventral aspect of the frame, and speak in a major key, pass the genial compliment, and your heart must indeed be frigid if it does not gradually thaw. ”

“ These two elements or phases, in their constant action and reaction, manifest the phenomena of Human Nature, and a knowledge of each, and both give to us the key which will open for us the door of the understanding of Human Nature. ”

“ Those in whom it is very large are apt to be regarded as trifling and undignified, and people often lack respect for them. Those in whom it is weak are apt to be over-serious and dreary. A sense of humor is valuable in many ways, among which is its influence in letting us see the silly side of much pretentious nonsense which might otherwise deceive our reason and judgment. Many a solemn and dignified fallacy or error can best be attacked through a laugh and a realization of its absurdity. This Quality manifests outer form on the upper and lateral part of the forehead (see group figure) . ”

“ Children and animals read the feelings of their parents or masters by their motions and attitudes, which are often more influential than words. The brain is the central source of motive and mental power; every action has its root or seat of impulse in the brain and its connections, and as the mind forms purposes, the will is sent out to the extremities, and the external motions express the inward thought and feeling. ”