would have occasioned the absence of an infinity of evil, but so would they likewise of an infinity of good. The essence of good has given birth to much evil; but it contained in itself the possibility of a still infinite increase of good.

The

The least failing of an individual incites a general outcry, and his character is at once darkened, trampled on, and destroyed. physiognomist views and praises the man whom the whole world condemns. What, does he praise vice?-Does he excuse the vicious!No; he whispers, or loudly affirms, "Treat this man after such a manner, and you will be astonished at what he is able, what he may be made willing to perform. He is not so wicked as he appears; his countenance is better than his actions. His actions, it is true, are legible in his countenance, but not more legible than his great powers, his sensibility, the pliability of that heart which has had an improper bent. Give but these powers, which have rendered him vicious, another direction, and other objects, and he will perform miracles of virtue."

The physiognomist will pardon where the most benevolent philanthropist must condemn. For myself, since I have become a physiognomist, I have gained knowledge, so much more accurate, of so many excellent men, and have had such frequent occasions to rejoice my heart in the discoveries I made concerning such men, that this, as I may say, has reconciled me

to the whole human race. What I here mention as having happened to myself, each physiognomist, being himself a man, must have undoubtedly felt.

Miscellaneous Physiognomonical Thoughts from Holy Writ.

"Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of our countenance." Psalm xc. 8.-No man believes in the omniscience, or has so strong a conviction of the presence of God and his angels, or reads the hand of heaven so visible in the human countenance, as the physiognomist.

"Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?-And why take ye thought for raiment?-Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt. vi. 27, 28. 33. No man, therefore, can alter his form. The improvement of the internal will also be the improvement of the external. Let men take care of the internal, and a sufficient care of the external will be the result.

"When ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance; for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head and wash thy face, that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall re

ward thee openly." Matt. vi. 16, 17, 18.-Virtue, like vice, may be concealed from men, but not from the Father in secret, nor from him in whom his spirit is, who fathoms not only the depths of humanity but of divinity. He is rewarded, who means that the good he has should be seen in his countenance.

"Some seeds fell by the way-side, and the fowls came and devoured them up; some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth, and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth; and when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had not earth they withered away; and some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up and choaked them; but others fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold." Matt, xiii. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.-There are many men, many countenances, in whom nothing can be planted, each fowl devours the seed; or they are hard like stone, with little earth, (or flesh) have habits which stifle all that is good. There are others that have good bones, good flesh, with a happy proportion of each, and no stifling habits.

an

"For whosoever hath to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath." Matt. xiii. 12.-True again of the good and bad countenance. He who is faithful to the propensities of nature, he hath,

he enjoys, he will manifestly. be ennobled. The bad will lose even the good traits he hath received.

"Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." Matt. xviii. 10.Probably the angels see the countenance of the father in the countenance of the children.

"If any man have ears to hear let him hear. Do ye not perceive, that whatever thing from without entereth into the man it cannot defile him, because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, that which cometh out of the man that defileth the man." Mark vii. 16, 18, 19, 20.-This is physiognomonically true. Not external accidents, not spots which may be washed away, not wounds which may be healed, not even scars which remain, will defile the countenance in the eye of the physiognomist, neither can paint beautify it to him.

4

"A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." Galat. v. 9.-A little vice often deforms the whole countenance. One single false trait makes the whole a caricature.

"Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men. Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God." 2 Cor.

countenance.

iii. 2, 3.—What need have the good of letters of recommendation to the good? The open countenance recommends itself to the open No letters of recommendation can recommend the perfidious countenance, nor can any slanderer deprive the countenance, beaming with the divine spirit, of its letters of recommendation. A good countenance is the best letter of recommendation.

I shall conclude with the important passage from the ninth of the Romans:

"God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. Oh! the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To whom be glory for ever. Amen."

CHAP. LV.

Of the apparently false decisions of Physiognomy -Of the general Objections made to Physiog nomy-Particular objections answered.

ONE of the strongest objections to the certainty of physiognomy is, that the best physiognomists often judge very erroneously.