B.

GENERAL REFLECTIONS.

1. NATURE is every where similar to herself. She never acts arbitrarily, never contrary to her laws. The same wisdom and power produce all varieties, agreeable to one law, one will. Either all things are, or nothing is, subject to law and order.

2. Who can overlook the distinction between internal power and external form, in the three kingdoms of nature? Stones and metals have infinitely less internal powers of life, and infinitely less appearance of the motive powers of life, than plants or trées; while the latter have infinitely less than animals. Each stone, each mineral, plant, tree, animal, hath, individually, a peculiar measure of life, and motive power; a capacity of receiving and communicating impressions; like as each has, individually, that peculiar external which distinguishes it from all others.

S. Therefore, for the mineralist, there is a mineral, for the botanist, a botanical, and for the naturalist, and the hunter, an animal physiognomy.

4. What a proportionate distinction is there in power and appearance between the reed and the oak, the bulrush and the cedar, the violet and the sun-flower, the mouseear and the full-blown rose!- From the smallest insect to the elephant, what proportionate difference of internal and external character!

5. Whether, with a rapid glance, we survey the kingdoms of nature, or examine and compare her productions, individually, can we avoid being deeply convinced of her truth, ever similar to itself, and the relative harmony between internal powers and external forms and tokens?

6. Whoever has not this general perception of the general, the ever present, truth and language of nature, will do well to throw this book aside; it can convince him of nothing, it can teach him nothing.

C.

EXTRACTS FROM ARISTOTLE.

CONCERNING BEASTS.

WHAT the great Aristotle has written on physiognomy appears to me extremely superficial, useless, and often self contradictory; especially his general reasoning. Still, however, we meet an occasional thought which deserves to be selected. The following are some of these, not translated according to the letter, but the spirit.

"A monster has never been seen which had the form of another creature, and, at the same time, totally different powers of thinking and acting.

“Thus, for example, the groom judges from the mere appearance of the horse; the huntsman from the appearance of the hound.

"We find no man entirely like a beast, although there are some features in man which remind us of beasts.

"If any one would endeavour to discover the signs of bravery in man, he would act

wisely to collect all the signs of bravery in animated nature, by which courageous animals are distinguished from others. The physiognomist should then examine all such animated beings which are the reverse of the former with respect to internal character, and, from the comparison of these opposites, the expressions or signs of courage would be manifest.

"Weak hair betokens fear, and strong hair courage. This observation is applicable not only to men but to beasts. The most fearful of beasts are the deer, the hare, and the sheep, and the hair of these is weaker than that of other beasts. The lion and wild boar, on the contrary, are the most courageous, which property is conspicuous in their extremely strong hair. The same also may be remarked of birds; for, in general, those among them which have coarse feathers are courageous, and those that have soft and weak feathers are fearful; quails and game cocks are examples,

"This may easily be applied to men. The people of the north are generally courageous, and have strong hair; while those of the west are more fearful, and have more flexible hair.

"Beasts remarkable for their courage

simply give their voices vent, without any great constraint; while fearful beasts utter vehement sounds. Compare the lion, ox, the barking dog, and cock, which are courageous, to the deer and the hare.

"The lion appears to have a more masculine character than any other beast. He has a large mouth, a four cornered, not too bony, visage. The upper jaw does not project, but exactly fits the under; the nose is rather hard than soft; the eyes are neither sunken nor prominent; the forehead is square, and somewhat flattened in the middle.

"Those who have thick and firm lips, with the upper lip hung over the under, are simple persons, according to the analogy of the ass and monkey."--This is most indeterminately spoken. He would have been much more accurate and true, had he said, those whose under lips are weak, extended, and projecting, beyond the upper, are simple people.

"Those who have the tip of the nose hard and firm, love to employ themselves on subjects that give them little trouble, similar to the cow and the ox."-Insupportable! The few men who have the tip of the nose firm are the most unwearied in their re