How to Read Human Nature: Its Inner States and Outer FormsAtkinson, William Walker
Science
How to Read Human Nature: Its Inner States and Outer Forms
Atkinson, William Walker
Character; Personality; Phrenology; Physiognomy
Spurzheim says of it: "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. It often acts with Spirituality
(Mysticism), located adjoining it, in embellishing poetry with the
mysterious and supernatural. Practical exaltation varies with this
organ."
Combe says: "This faculty loves exquisiteness, perfection, and the
beau-ideal; gives inspiration to the poet; stimulates those faculties
which form ideas to create perfect scenes; inspires man with a ceaseless
love of improvement, and prompts him to form and realize splendid
conceptions; imparts an elevated strain to language, and shows a
splendor of eloquence and poetic feeling; and gives to conversation a
fascinating sprightliness and buoyancy--the opposite of dryness and
dullness."
In addition to the above characteristics, which are largely due to the
co-operation of Mysticism, Infinity, and Reverence, there is another set
of manifestations which were largely overlooked by the older
phrenologists--the activity of the Imagination in connection with
Constructiveness. This combination of Constructiveness and Ideality is
found in the great scientists, inventors, great financiers, and others
whose plans for "building up" show that Ideality has been also very
active in the direction of picturing "what may be"--the _ideal_ which
Construction makes _real_. In much mental constructive work, there is
found the artistic element, which arises from Ideality. This Quality
manifests outer form in the upper and frontal portion of the temples,
just where the head begins to curve upward, and just in front of, or
under, the edges of the hair (see group figure). It is just above
Constructiveness, and just below Mysticism and Imitation, a position
which throws light on its several phases of manifestation above noted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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