The Litchfield County post., 1828-05-15

sed in a snuff colored coat with gilt buttons, with well-combed bob-wig on his head, and a gold-headed cane in his hand, who sat in one corner of the coach, diagonaIly opposite to the lady, exclaimed with much vehemence, sthe countenance of the cock chaffer!' As I happened ito sit op- posite to this contentious disputant, my foot narrowly escaped feeling the full force of his argument; for as he spoke, he struck his gold-headed cane with great vio- lence, against the bottom of. the roach, be- tween my feet, which were not hal fsan inch asunder. From this moment of the de- bate, whenever the red cheeks of my op- posite neghbor began to puff, I kept m, eye steadily upon his cane, that I might es- cape the blow with which he regularly fin ished his argument. could not help jus observing to the company, that the extra ordinary pretentions of Dr. Lavater ant his followers, were highly prejudicial to the art which they wishedto recommend -that the reasonable claims of true phsi- ognomists had, by these means, lost their just credlt-and that, when man now tal- king of forming an opinion of the charac- ters of strangers from their countenaces & manners, he was, immediately, suspected of belonging to school which he dis ] claimed.
 "A middle-sized, middle-aged officer, now, for the first time opened his lips; Il agree with you, eu,irely,' said he; "a man who has seen the world necessarily learns those mark by which the occupations and characters of individual may with some certainty be discovered.' A young gen. ] tleman of genteel appearance, who was wedged in between the traveller and the gentleman with the cane, smiled such dis sent to the assertions of the last speaker, that, without waiting for direct answer, the officer confirmed his own opinion, by offering to put it to immediate trial, if the company would give him leave, provided the geptleman who was Lavater's pupil, would give previous specimen of his skill.
 "Our fellow travellers, with great good humor, agreed to this proposal: and we all promised that we would, without dis guise, acknowledge the truth of any suc- cessful dis' overy. which either of the phys iognomists should make. The traveller, as call him, very gravely requested the lady to throw aside her handsome silk cloak, and let him see the shape of the Olcranon, or tip of her elbow to this she cheerfully consented; but upon his desir- ing to see the bones of her head, beyond 1 the precincts of nice lace cap, she be- came refractory, and it was with much diff ffc,lty that she was persuaded to show a glimpse of the Os temp0rum. The owner of the gold-headed cane was next persua- oed to push back his wig couple of inch es, to show the con6guration of his skull. The gentleman who sat between the trav- eller and this imp portant person, turned his head all manner of ways, to satisfy the an alomical curiosity of the disciple of Lava ter-and also submitted my occipmt and sinciput to every investigation that he re- quired But in no one instance did he give satisfaction. He determined from the conformation of the lady's elbow and temples, ,that she was of West India extrac- tion--that the well-bred. sensible young man, who sat next him, had most choler- ic disposition, indicated by the bossa breg- matis sand that, from my osteology, must, necessarily be, of most st'profound melancholy temperament.
 "After having laughed heartily at the failure of the physiognomist of bones, the officer, with mild countenance, free from all the airs of superior wisdom, addressed himself to the lady, whose sex required his first attentions. Madam said he, I don't pretend to make any discovery when say you,are of good-humored and good- natured disposition; that every child could immediately perceive, in your coun- tenance I pretend to know only what have been your ordinary occupations. and what has been the ordinary course of your life |; but in doing so l fear to offend. If you will promise to forgive me with your usual good-nature, if guess right; will sub- init to be upbraided as much as you please, if am wrong. The lady having pronis- ed all that was required, the officer told her that she had been the mistress of some public house--whether of cofee-house, inn, or tavern, he csuld not precisely tell, but he supposed the former.' Well, sir, says she, 'and suppose I have hope there is no harm in that! I don't see why people should be So curious about other peoples affairs. suppose sir, you took good care to inquire who we all were before you got into the coach.' From this the gentleman readily exculpated himself, by