Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-03-13
OUR NOSES.
Telling q Mans Character by His
I.. Nasal Organ.

Telling q Mans Character by Hi
|-. Nasal Organ.
The human nose is feature capable
Of wonderful depth OF expression. II
may, indeed, be called the gnomon Of
the mental dial in the human face, and
indicates what time Of day" it is In
the individual. 1t is the handle by
which one is enabled 10 lay hold of his
capacities and susceptibilities, and par.
ticularly to estimate his courage. Ii il
the presiding seat of instinct and sa.
gacity. II is here that nature has
placed the feelers Of animals, from the
giant proboscis or trunk of the elephant
to the delicate and diminutive antenne
Of the fly.
Experience has abundantly proved
that a good nasal development is good
thing. Unfortunately it is not every
man that can boast of this physiognomic
desideratum. Mankind may be divided
into long noses and short noses, but be-
tween these two extremes there is an in
finite variety. There are, indeed, noses
of every kind and degree, and all clearly
express some quality or condition of the
moral or intellectual man.
The difficulty now is to classify so nu.
merous a collection. There is the cogi-
tative nose, the apprehensive nose, the
inqusitive nose, the combative nose, the
defensive nose, the aggressive nose, the
irritable nose, the secretive nose, the
confiding nose, the acquisitive nose, the
economical nose, the toper's nose, the
pugilist's nose, the sentimental nose,
and the nose which can never look SEN
tiwental under any provocation. Then
there is the tragedy nose and the low
comedy nose, the burlesque nose and
even the vegetable nose. There are
noses hooked and crooked, sharp and
fiat, round and square, noses which turn
up and noses which hang down. Some
noses are merely pimples, others are
carbsncles, and while we occasionally
hear Of double nose, some persons,
unfortunate for them, have no noses at
all There are some noses one meets
with in the street which one cannot help
envying; they are so prying and pertins-
cious, so prominent aud important, that
they appear sure to make their way in
the world.
Looking at this organ as sign OF
mental development, it might be said
that the Roman nose means executive
ness, martial courage; the Greek nose,
refinement; the Jewish nose, inquisi-
tiveness; and the snub, undevelopment.
The men with snub noses, it has been
are, however, rather an ama-
BILE class OF individuals. There is rich
store of humor and drollery about their
noses, which causes the wearers to be
much sought after as boon companions.
They are often cunning shavers, " fell
lows Of infinite jest and most excellent
fancy" nrt
Abstractly considered, nez retrOuSSe
is not prepossessing. Looking at the
nose itself, we would not form a high
opinion Of the mental or moral qualities
Of the bearer of such nose yet it is an
fact that many men who
have been born into the world with snub
noses have risen TO great eminenee, and
in the race Of life have often left behind
them men with far better ones. Nay,
we know instances in which men with
most ridiculous looking noses have con-
trived to step over the heads OF men
with large, imposing, aristocratic look.
ing Roman noses. AS a rule, however,
the leng nose carries the day.
A thin, pinched nose is universally
admitted to be characteristic Of sordid,
selfmortifying aud miserly individuals,
and is so employed by painters, novel
lists and dramatistG.. A sharpi hooked,
aexible one accompanies propensity
TO scandal. The cock.nosed men are q
busy, bustling race, remarkable for their
selfconceit, their cool assurance and
kind of men that will
not be put down by vulgar clamor,
sir" Persons gifted with a nasal ex-
pansion (vulgarly, horse nosed) are gen.
orally individuals of an enthusiastic
A slight dilation of nos
.ril, to express triumph, is assigned to
The Apollo Belvedere. By the same
-ule, FABULOUS and breathing nostrils
ire given by sculptors and painters to
.hajr evil demons and titans, as the out
yard sign ef arrogance and defiance.