An old Italian writer says that "women with brown, hairy moles on the chin, especially if these excrescences are on the under part of the chin, are industrious, active and are good housewives"; they are also, he says, "very sanguine and given to love follies. They talk much and whilst they are easily excited to return a love which is offered them, they are not so readily prevailed upon to become indifferent. For this reason," he goes on, evidently speaking feelingly and probably therefore with personal experience of the matter, "they should be treated with circumspect, calm friendship and kept at a distance by a mildly cold dignity of demeanour." He gives no directions as to how this effective "demeanour" is to be arrived at, but at once passes on to another remark on the subject of moles, and tells us that "a mole upon the upper lip, especially if it is bristly, will be found in no person who is not defective in something essential." This is rather a wide way of putting the matter. Are people with this blemish morally, mentally, or physically deficient? Wanting in kissableness such a mouth might be and this, perhaps, where lips are concerned, _is_ "something essential." CHAPTER XXXI. THE HAIR AND THE EARS Black hair which is perfectly without any wave or curl and which lies in lank, lifeless masses, shows a melancholic disposition; a black beard which grows sparsely gives the same indication. Black hair which is wavy or curling and very thick, shows force of affection and a certain ardour in love matters; so also does a thick and crisp-textured black beard and moustache. The lank, thin and uncurling black hair is one of the signatures of Saturn alone; the crisp, curling and thickly-growing black hair is the combination of Venus and Saturn. The united influence of these two planets on a life gives force of character, for the warmth and impulse given by Venus is tempered by the distrust of Saturn into prudence; thus people with the crisp dark hair get the ardour, combined with prudence, which produces success in life. Chestnut hair of a soft and silky texture and not very thick, gives romance of character. This is not the sort of hair which is ever seen on very commonplace, realistic persons. Men having this soft chestnut-coloured hair are somewhat effeminate in their tastes and are wanting in energy and decision. Both men and women having it are incapable of strong affection: they are attracted by the opposite sex, but they are more given to having a series of small interests than one strong love. If this hair is found in combination with the golden coloured eyes it is indicative of coquetry in the nature; if with pale blue-grey eyes we have languor and caprice--a sentimental and inconsistent person.