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Vol. II.
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PHYSIOGNOMY AND CRANIOLOGY.

76

impetuosity of ajudge does not invalidate (lie system of juris-prudence over which he presides:that his feelings wereamiable, is not denied; that he was liable to error, is whatmay be expected of every human agent. But with his fail-ings we cannot but praise his partiality to the natives ofour own island, where, if his judgment is not always cor-rect, he assuredly appears to appreciate their general cha-racter with truth, a* we presently shall discover, wherehe speaks of the physiognomical resemblance of variousnations. * f ,

First, he assertsjl That each creature is indispensablein the vast compass otBpjp creation hut adding,each indi-vidual is not alike IjS&rnJcd of the truth of this fact,asman only, is conscioi*that his own place canuot be sup-plied by another. The idea, thus conceived, he thinks oneof the best* and most fortunate consecpiences to physiog-nomy; and contends, that the most deformed and wickedpersons are still superior to the most perfect and beautifulanimal: because, they always have the power to amend,and in some degree ; to restore themselves to the place as-signed them in the creation ; and however their featuresmay be distorted by tiie indulgence of their passions, stillthe image of their Creator remains, from which sin is onlyto be expelled, to render the likeness still nearer perfection.In making those remarks w hich are the chief distinguishingtraits of various regions, he observes, that the placingof different persons together, selected from nations remotelysituated from eich other, gives at one glance their sur-prising varietieswif visage. Yet he acknowledges, that, topoint out those variations, is a task of considerable diffi-culty ; and his assl&ion that this may be done with morefacility from a sin<^individual than the mass of population,seems extremely probable. The French , he thinks do notpossess equally commanding traits with the English ; norare they so minute as the Germans ; and it is to the peculiarityof their teeth and manner of laughing, that he attributedhis power of deciding upon their origin. The Italians , heappreciated, by the form of their noses, diminutive eyes,and projecting chins.

The eyebrows and foreheads are the criteria of the peopleof England. The Dutch possess a peculiar rotundity ofthe head, and have weak thin hair; the Germans , numerousangles and wrinkles about the eyes and in the cheeks; andthe RjKsians are remarkable for black and light colouredhair, Xd Hat noses.

lie considers the natives of England, in the aggregate,