How to Read Human Nature: Its Inner States and Outer Forms — John Shaqi
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
INFINITY. This Quality manifests in a strong realization of the grand,
the majestic, the vast, the illimitable, the infinite, the eternal, the
absolute, the omnipotent, the omnipresent, the omniscient. It is the
realizing sense of The Great. Those in whom it is large are impressed by
the sublime, the majestic, the grand, in nature or in thought and
conception. Niagara; the great work of the architect; the thunder-storm;
the giant redwood of California; the ocean; or the thoughts of Infinity,
alike appeal to the one in whom this Quality is large. 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. This Quality manifests in outer form on the side of the head,
about midway between forehead and back-head, and about midway between
"top and bottom" of that part of the head which contains the brain (see
group figure). It is back of Ideality, and in front of Cautiousness;
below Optimism and above Acquisitiveness, on the side of the head where
the upward curve begins.
HUMOR. This Quality manifests in a strong appreciation of the ludicrous,
humorous, ironical, facetious, and raillery. Spurzheim says: "Those who
write like Voltaire, Rabelais, Piron, Sterne, Rabener, Wieland, and all
who are fond of jest, raillery, ridicule, irony, and comical
conceptions, have the upper and outer parts of the forehead immediately
before Beauty (Ideality) of considerable size." Combe says: "I have
found in the manifestations of those whose Wit (Mirthfulness)
predominates over Causality (Logic) a striking love of the purely
ludicrous; their great delight being to heap absurd and incongruous
ideas together; extract laughter out of every object; and enjoy the
mirth their sallies created; and therefore agree with Spurzheim that the
sentiment of the ludicrous is its primitive function." 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). It is just before Ideality and just below
Imitation. When large it gives a square and prominent shape to this part
of the forehead.
CHAPTER XII
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