The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-04
CHARACTER SHOWN
BY MEMS ACTIONS
Prepensitles Divulged and Read BY Ap'
parently Insignificant Things.
WHEN INDIVIDUALITY IS IMPRESSED
Study of the Countenance..NapO.
Icons Opinion Of the Nuse..ByrOn
at the Dinner Table..Craftsnen
Who May BE Recognized by Their
Trade. Marks.

VINO may ne NecOsnlZcu W AhcH
Trade. Marks.
From the st. Louis Globe.
1t is said that at the battle of Auster-
litz Napoleon desired to have an or
der conveyed to the commander OF one
Of the French corps separated by
some distance from the main army.
Conveying the order was hazardous
business, as a portion of the ground
that must be traversed was held by the
enemy, All the orderlies were absent,
employed on the Emperor's business,
and learning this fact. he looked down
the front rank of his guard. selected a
soldier and entrusted to him the de-
spatch. The man covered the inter-
vening distance delivered the order
and returned In safety, bearing the
answer, and was soon after commits
stoned an officer. A year or SO later.
some one wfo witnessed the incident
recalled it the mind of Napoleon
and had Il curiosity to inquire why.
out of tn nundred or more men who
Ftood in ie rank, he had chosen this
particular soldier to perform the per-
ilOus service. "On account OF his
nose," promptly answered Napeoleon,
and then explained that, when in such
emergencies he was compelled to rely
on an untried man, he always selected
q soldier with q good military nose.
and was rarely disappointed. The
answer may have been playful and
misleading. for Napoleon was not a
man to give too much information to
other people about his methods of ac-
tion or the motives that influenced
him. He was close student of human
nature and an excellent judge Of men.
and so whatever may have been his
means of arriving at conclusion or
forming a judgment he was rarely at
fault. That he should have chosen the
nose as indicative Of character but
shows that while he may have known
nothing of the art or science of phy-
nose was more expressive of firmness
and resolution of character than any
other feature in the cOuntenance, and
so recognized at least one maxim al
ready laid down by Lavatar In his
"Principles Of Physiognomy."
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL TRAITS.
It Is now generally conceded that
there Is q connection often very import
ant and significant between physical
and mental traits, that. In a certain
way, sometimes very difficult OF expla-
nation, qualities of mind are indicated
by peculiarities Of body. This fact Is
most apparent to the observer of the
cOuntena nee, and sometimes Is so plain
as to render mistake impossible. Ev-
cry one knows the jolly, good-natured
man, even before he opens his mouth to
laugh; the stern, unbending cOunte-
nance Is repulsive before Its owner has
uttered a word. There are faces which
attract us at first glance; there are
faces which repel us as soon as we see
them. Aside, however, from these inn
nraGGinnG n.
eral In their character. there Is no doubt
much to be learned from the observance
OF the little points in the cOuntenance.
which sometimes confirm and sometimes
refute the general impression made by
the whole. Napoleon's rule about the
nose, for example, can not be too broad
ly applied, for a large nose Is indica-
tive of strength Of character only when
the other features are equally strong.
A large nose and weak chin indicate,
not firmness and resolution, but piggish
obstinacy and stupid adherence to one
course, even when 1t Is clearly shown to
be inadvisable. A high forehead is gen.
orally supposed to indicate broad in
tell1gence, but every one has seen noble
brows on mere blockheads and num-
skulls, while many men Of great brain
power nave unprepossessing foreheads
Physiognomy is by no means an exact
science any more than phrenology or
palmistry, though In both there are
often found condolences so remarka bic
as to justify the belief that all three
contain certain elements OF truth that
may, In time. furnish a scientlnc basis
Tor future development.
iHh AfrAfEL.
There are SO many countenances
which must be pronounced negative,
that Is. they give no decided impress
sion of any kind, that. in not a few
cases, the dress furnishes quite as ac-
curate a means of reading character
as the face. Extravagance In any
style, no matter what, is Invariably in
dicatiVe OF mental popularity. The
dude Is instantly recognized as the
possessor Of mental vacuum. for
there Is an intuitive feeling that while
every man should dress himself de-
Gently according to his station in life.
overdresslng indicates lack of mental
power. for the man is not to be esti-
ments. a walking advertisement for
q tailor is seldom anything else. and
clothes mnst % my ta.s ax,,.o. t',,'sea Ell, on ms
uation from other people. I7itti, nd.
dities in apparel sometimes Indicate
taste and sometimes tho lack ~ y az
cording to circumsta noes hut ,,o,,'o,
differences from othars !, ~. ~ masKed i.ei
of dress are generailv ind,n,ti',a 'e 90
some degree of mental oId;,w NJ, ~,
years ago. there was q nrominont a,n :,
in New York who nevar mndar man na,.
circumstances co,,ld Lo n.u.,,n, any y
wear a necl,tie Ha bod suhuea ''u,a. ~
ton set with ia aiann, o"rai pu.,
this m aii n,,,,i,o "anos,ann nu. anu
ed ,nstsad ~ ouo,,a. ne sport,
him n,,sor ga T.. 'u.. Men caled
~ 49,, o'u 81 lie was, anu as ne
oiues ne sot queerer. ana his
49, ,e..u ,inahy became 30 pronounced
49,, 81. ai. I'M was necessary ana he
eHueu Ills uays III madhOuSe. Under