Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-12-06
THE DOUBLE CHIN.
Philosopher Lavater Pronounces 1t "Rea
sons Own Image"

Philosopher Lavater Pronounces 1t "Rea-
sons Own Image"
The great justification of the double
chin rests, of course, on its unrivaled
value as an index OF character! 1t is
not difficult to divine what Lavater
thought of double chin. He care
fully points out that man differs from
the animals chiefly by his chin, laying
it down as an axiom that the chin is
the distinctive characteristic of hui
manity; consequently, double-chinned
people are doubly differentiated from
the beasts that perish. which is greatly
to their credit. He expressly takes
for his model of ''the thinker, full
of sagacity and penetration" man
with fleshy double chin, coupled with
a nose rounded at the end. The por-
trait he gives is even better than the
letter-press, as the gentleman is limned
with at least five chins, so that his lower
jaw is vista of magnificent distances,
like Washington. This happy physi-
ognomy of the double chin coupled with
the rounded nose, characterizes, he
tells us, the mind which can rise to
heights, and which follows its designs
with rejecting firmness unafloyed by
obstinacy. Let, therefore, those with
double chins rejoice, whether they pos
sess rounded noses or not, and quote
Lavater in gratitude. He gives again
another example of the double menton,
and the face so endowed, he says en-
Enthusiastically, is Reasons own image.
He quite revels in this feature He
takes an example os Raphael with a
beautifully rounded double chin, and in
criticising it he acknowledges that the
profile is wanting in truth, harmony,
and grace; but then. asks he, how is it
it so strongly takes captive our SYM
pathy? Where lies the illusion? Mere
ly in the chin, he answers, and as the
chin is double one, the matter is no
longer a mystery. He points trium-
phantly to Cicero's magnificent double
chin, and in burst of eloquence says of
Wren's that, if you can find man with
(among other things) such a chin as
that. without being gifted with some
extraordinary talent, he renounces for
ever the science of physiognomy.
What Lavater has thus laid down,
experience simply corrOborates. The
double-chinned, therefore, should hold
their heads up higher. in the .consci-
entiousness of modest merit. and give
free play and just prominence to their
certificates of character. 1t is, as
hinted above, rather difficult at present
to tell who is endowed and who is not.
Portrait-painters are craven enough to
dissimulate double chin; they leave
it to the caricaturist, who seem to think
it great fun for popular statesman or
poet to have two chins, whereas those
appendages are the secret of their
success. Some of our most observant
writers have got a glimpse of the truth;
Mr.. Wilkie Collins, for instance. He
very properly credits Count Fosco. the
man of daring, resource and determin-
dLlOQ, Will q QOuOlC CA1us " W01CA
Fosco's pet cockatOo calls public at
tention, by rubbing his head against it
in the most appreciative manner pos
sible. But your ordinary novelist
would never have thought of that. As
an Englishman, by the way, one natu-
rally turns to Shakespeare, to see
whether his appearance corroborates
Lavater's views. Shakespeare un-
doubtedly foresaw the point, as he
foresaw every thing else, but he was
sufficiently artful to wear just enough
beard to place it in eternal doubt
whether he had double chin or not
Thus he leaves it open to all parties,
single-chinned or double, to quote him
as an instance of any thing they like,
which, after all. is the great use which
Shakespeare has always been put to-
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