How to Become Rich, William Windsor [readera ebook reader txt] 📗
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The phrenologist, therefore, who essays to read your character, must be able to trace the signs of disease in your appearance. He must needs be an expert Physiologist and Anatomist. He must understand Pathology. He must have the diagnosing skill to detect disease and allow for it in his estimate of your mentality, or his delineation is worth less than nothing; nay, more, he may do you a positive damage, by advising you to adopt a course of life which would be disastrous to your constitution. He must be able to do all this and do it rapidly and with precision. Never trust yourself under the hands of a professed phrenologist unless you are confident of his skill in estimating and diagnosing your physical condition.
QUALITY.The second step in a phrenological examination is the determination of the quality of the organization. Perhaps there is no branch of the science of phrenology which has received such crude treatment at the hands of phrenological writers as this subject of organic quality. Many use the term interchangeably with temperament, some confound it with temperament and hereditary disposition, others recognize it as a distinct modifying condition; but I know of no writer, except myself, who has yet attempted a classification of the subject, or who has dared to recognize its importance as a modifying condition of character.
Quality is the texture of organization, and in this respect must be regarded entirely independently of temperament. The latter is conceded to depend upon the preponderance or relative energy of some part of the system, anatomically or pathologically; but each of the conditions denominated as temperaments may exist, with widely different manifestations of the peculiar conditions we describe as quality, with a corresponding modification of the character of the subject in each case. Hence the necessity of a rational classification, based upon the independent observation of these modifications of quality as a distinct subject, in order to apply it as a distinct step in a phrenological examination.
The trees of the forest present distinct variations of quality, depending on the texture of the wood. The hickory is hard, the ash is brittle, the pine is soft, etc. An examination of the texture of the human organization will disclose variations, different, it is true, but some times strikingly analogous, and no less important in determining the fitness of the individual for particular purposes.
We determine quality by a critical inspection of the general contour of the body, its relative size, the adaptation of its parts to each other, the color and grain of the skin, the relative harmony of the features, the relative brightness of the eyes, the color and texture of the hair, the movements of the body, the tone of the voice, and the rapidity of mental process. To determine quality accurately may sometimes require a series of experiments on the individual, and the success of the examiner will of course depend on his own acuteness of perception and judgment.
Jack Langrishe.—Quality Strong.
Quality is, (1) Strong; (2) Delicate; (3) Responsive. And conversely, (1) Weak; (2) Coarse; (3) Sluggish, and in proportion as these elements unite to form an efficient and powerful organization, we may speak of the quality as “high,” or as we find them wanting, we may call the quality “low.”
Strong Quality is exhibited by an organization harmoniously constructed, full size, compact and firm. The limbs, trunk and head are generally well formed, the muscles firm, the walk steady, the carriage erect, and the movements generally graceful, but all indicating power. The features of the face are strongly marked and prominent, the lines well marked and the entire structure is definite and established. A hair from the head of such an individual will be harder to break than another from an organization of different quality. It will also be harder to pull from the scalp. The grasp of the hand is steady and firm, indicating muscular power. The eyesight is good and the eye steady and clear, well formed and powerful in range of vision. If the perceptives are large it will be penetrating. The skin is firm to the touch, though the grain may be either fine or coarse. The entire organization is built upon the principle of strength, but the direction in which this strength will be applied will depend upon the temperamental conditions. With the mental temperament well developed, a strong mind will be manifested; with the vital and motive temperaments, strong physical and muscular functions. The relative absence of this quality will be marked by corresponding weakness, and although we may have a pronounced mental temperament, the individual will exhibit but little mental strength, and with a pronounced motive temperament he will be incapable of strong muscular action.
Delicate Quality is denoted by delicacy and refinement of structure. It may or may not be co-existent with strength.
The strands of silk thread are fine and delicate, but also very strong. Other substances are refined and delicate, but possess little of the element of strength.
Delicate quality in the human organization is accompanied by corresponding manifestations. The texture of the skin is close grained, delicate and soft. The hair is fine; the eye is clear and bright, the features smooth and very harmonious. The mental processes are brilliant, facile, rapid; their depth and power, however, depending upon the combination of the element of strength with delicacy. Persons possessing delicate quality are very acute.
Such persons are able to appreciate nice shades of thought and to cultivate the graces in an eminent degree. They are adapted to pursuits requiring delicacy of the senses and acute perception, such as music, painting, manufacturing of delicate articles, etc. In literature they display refined taste, and the head is symmetrical and generally well developed. Those who are low in delicacy lack refinement and grace and should carefully cultivate these qualities.
The relative absence of this element entirely or proportionately unfits the individual for these mental processes requiring delicacy and acuteness. He may possess a well-balanced organization as to temperament and cerebral development, but without the element of delicate quality he will be utterly incapable of those mental processes requiring delicate shades of thought.
Sol Smith Russell—Quality Responsive.
The individual who unites the elements of strong and delicate quality will exhibit both power and fineness. He will be able to display more versatility of talent than the individual possessing the element of strength or delicacy alone. Those persons who have displayed great intelligence coupled with brilliancy, have uniformly united both of these elements.
The element of Responsiveness depends upon a certain sensitiveness of texture, resembling the resonance of a well tuned musical instrument, and a certain harmonious adjustment of parts which renders the individual capable of receiving a mental impression promptly and responding to its action. Persons possessing this quality have such delicate sympathy of the entire organization that the mental processes are exceedingly rapid, and the physical manifestations are equally prompt. The movements of the body are quick, the brain is active, the eye bright, intelligent and keen sighted, the expression of the face vivacious, the voice musical, the speech rapid, and the individual often anticipates the thought of those with whom he converses; if you hesitate on a word he will instantly supply it. Such persons are keenly sensitive to surrounding circumstances, easily impressed, and the entire organization seems to vibrate in unison with the impressions made upon it. It is not uncommon to find this condition mistaken by observers for the nervous temperament of the pathological classification. The true distinction lies in the fact that the latter is a diseased condition, resulting in a super-sensitiveness of the nervous system, while responsive quality exists in perfect health, and is a perfectly normal condition of a character frequently resulting in great advantage to the individual, and absolutely essential in many vocations. It is indispensable to the musician, the artist, the poet, etc., and I depend upon it in estimating the capacity of my subjects for various professions and trades, especially those involving the fine arts, literature, and many of the departments of merchandising.
Mme. Janauschek.
Quality Strong and Responsive.
The absence of this responsive element is marked by a general sluggishness of all the mental and physical processes. The movements of the body are slow, and the brain, while it may be capable of strong thought, is correspondingly slow in action. The individual does not yield readily to the strongest impressions, and his conversation will be slow, frequently tedious. Such individuals are incapable of doing anything in a hurry, and when urged by others frequently become confused. Left to their own methods, with plenty of time, they are frequently capable of displaying great strength and delicacy of quality, both in physical and mental manifestations.
The intelligent reader will readily comprehend that the best organization is that in which the elements of strength, delicacy and responsiveness are harmoniously blended.
The relative predominance of each element will in all cases decide the particular class of purposes, vocations, professions or other pursuits to which the subject is best adapted, other things being equal. Quality results from a variety of causes. Like all other personal peculiarities, it is, to a certain extent, hereditary. Children are, to a greater or less extent, certain to inherit the quality of their parents and immediate ancestors. But the inherited quality of offspring is subject to great modifications. It is definitely established that the temporary condition of mind and body of the parents at the moment of conception, materially affects the permanent quality of the offspring. Thus it is possible for parents to transmit to children a much better or much worse permanent condition of quality than they themselves possess. Observation also justifies the belief that children born of loving and affectionate parents surpass in quality those born of incompatible natures. The occupation and surroundings of the parents at the time of conception, and particularly the influences brought to bear upon the mother while the offspring is in utero, produce a lasting effect upon the quality of the latter. Science has long since demonstrated the fact that every part of the human organization is susceptible to educational development. Quality, like every other modifying condition, is susceptible to development in either direction, and the success attending an effort to develop either strength, delicacy or responsiveness of quality in any given individual, will in all cases be commensurate with the intelligence and vigor of the efforts expended to that end.
The study of quality being thus understood, I introduce you now to the most beautiful study in the curriculum of human science, the third step in the phrenological estimate of character, viz.:
TEMPERAMENT.By the term Temperament, is meant the preponderance in development of some element or system of organs in the body, to such an extent as to give to the character a distinctive recognizable type, a temper or disposition resulting from the predominance of some one element in the character which modifies and gives tone to all the rest, resulting from its superior development. As a matter of fact, there are as many different temperaments as there are individuals, no two individuals having the same constitution; but science classifies them under distinctive heads, as their developments are approximately the same, or as their developments are in the same general direction, regardless of exact degrees.
ELECTRO-MAGNETIC TEMPERAMENTS.The Electric Temperament exists when electricity dominates over magnetism in the organization. Its characteristics are Gravity, Receptivity, Darkness, and Coldness. This temperament was formerly called the Bilious or Brunette Temperament. It is distinguished by dark, hard, dry skin,
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