The Portland daily press., 1880-11-03
Physiognomy.
Professor Fellows Discusses Noses and
Mouths at Washington University.
Globe Democrat.

Globe Democrat
Professor Nathan Fellows, who has lately
arrived in the city from Kentucky, delivered
lecture upon physiognomy at Washington
University Saturday night to an audience COM
posed largely of ladies, who filled the large
hall. The lecturer began y stating that the
subject was one embracing the widest possible
grounds and that he would confine himself to
the most elementary branches. Physiognomy
meant knowledge of nature, and human phy-
siognomy a knowledge of human nature. As
science 1t was older than geometry upon
which masonry is said to be founded; older
than Judaism, and of course, far older than
Christianity. 1t was a matter of instinct with
all created animals, and Sir Walter Scott had
long ago pointed out that the youngest child
could easily distinguish among its elders those
who sought its society because they loved it,
from those who were cultivating its acquain-
tance with designs upon the good will of its pa
rents or elder sisters. Physiognomy was in it.
self comprehensive term, and included with
in itself craniology, nasology, chorology, ped
ology and many other departments.
The lecturer traced the history of his subject
from the Assyrian and Egyptian sculptors
down to the time of Zopyrus, who examined
Socrates in the market place at Athens and
described him as lewd filthy fellow, much
given to strong drink, which estimate of his
character the philosopher himself indorsed be-
fore his pupils there assembled Paracelsus,
Aristotle, and many of the most learned of the
Greeks wrote upon the subject, and the Latin
writers paid great attention to it as a science.
IT HOuriSh91 during La mil In
cultivated to a large extent until Albertus
Magnus, the celebrated archbishop of Ratisbon
in Bavaria, wrote his great work in the thir4,
teenth century, the principles of,.which but
slightly differ from what is now known as
phrenology, term coined much later by Drs.
Gall and Spurzheim. The works of John Cas-
per Lavater, CaIvinistic clergyman of Zu-
rich, were referred to in great praise, after
which the subject OF nasology was taken up
and noses discussed in all their lights, colors.
shades and bearings.
Noses had Swayed the destinies of Kingdoms
and had been at the bottom of many reyolu-
ton, civil and domestic. Queen Elizabeth re-
FUSED to marry the Duke of Aniou because she
did not like the design upon which his nasal
protuberance was constructed, and it was per
haps as well for him, for Queen Bess was not
especially blessed in this most prominent fea-s
ture, ana the 1rregularity there displayed was
uupiCdtCu III utr ulSpUSlL1OQ. Inc ROmdn
type was referred to with great particularly,
and was described to be the characteristic of
pushing, busy, energetic men, just as much as
tue Greeian was the proper feature for beauti-
ful women. Julius Caesar, the Duke of We'll
llngtoh, Wash -ngton, Andrew and Stonewall
jackson, most of the people of the middle ages
and nearly every general of the society of Je-
sus had this distinguishing mark If man
with small rudimentary nose was found wed.
ded to woman with well developed
Roman nose, it was safe to wager that his
lodge seldom met Oftener than once a week
and never remained in session until midnight.
The speaker then passed on to the subject of
mouths, and claimed that while small one
predicated aristocracy, a large one generally
accompanied ability. Clay and Webster both
mad great gashes in their countenance extend
ing almost from ear to ear. A mans intelli-
gence could be fairly estimated by the breadth
OF his upper lip. The lecturer had visited pen
ltentlarles in many of the States and found l
That the worst criminals, those stepped in ig-
norance and crime, had irregular mouths sit
uated away up under the nose. Long noses
mouths and chins were good indications of in.
telligence. "
There were many other subjects which Pro-
iessor fellows wished to touch upon, but he
mad limited himself to an hour, and SO cut
short very interesting talk. He closed with
short sketch OF the various temperaments.
and after arranging chairs upon the platform.
called upon parties from the audience to occu.
~ eiOh AVl pulpOScS VI llluSurdIlOD, annOuQC-
ing that he would give the preference to the
fair sex. The ladies were very SLOW about
coming forward, and the Professor made the
tour OF the audience for the purpose of obtain
ing recruits. The effect of this was that most
the pretty young ladies were found to be deep-
ly interested in the name to be found upon the
inside OF gentlemen's hats. One lady was at
last found and soon the row of chairs was full.
and the audience were enlightened with a
orIef h description OF the characteristics of EACH
when men were called for they came for
ward more willingly and were examined much
more vigorously. One gentleman who had left
ms wife sitting very near the platform, was de-
scribed as rather lazy and passionately devoted
to the falrer sex in general A young man
with lncplent moustache was described as a
poet, genius and person of great possibili-
ties all to the delight of lady friend whose
S'de he had just let for the public good But
when Mr.. Fellows went on TO tell him that he
was of the nervous-bilious type, and that the
most unfortunate mistake he could make would
be to marry partner of the same predisposi-
ton, and that he should be sure to select a
horld, sanguine blonde, of strong physique a
cloud overspread the young lady's Counte-
nance, for the professor was describing a girl
entirely her opposite. The young man walked
down from the platform wreathed in smiles
and clothed in Importance but with demean-
or somewhat chilled to his fair partner.
When leaving the hall he was heard to tell
her that he loved her as we'll as ever, aye, bet
ter; but physiognOmy must prevail, though it
rent his heart. He proceeded to give her a
month 'sinotice in improved legal form, and
there is one girl in town now who is very sorry
she ever ventured to dabble in the mysteries
of physiognomy. The lecture was very inter-
estlng and another will probably be given lat
er in the month.