PHYSIOGNOMY AND CRANIO LOGY'.

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though they may denote a tendency to sensuality, belongexclusively to a good character, deserving- of admiration inmost relations of life.

A mouth, the lips whereof are so thin as to present atfirst view little more than a line, is a prognostic of apathy,yet quiet, very industrious when stimulated. When thisdescription of mouth is raised at the extremities, vanity, orvain pretensions, affectation, and probably deliberate malice,distinguish those so formed. The opposites of this kind,are those lips swelled into a considerable size, which denoteindolence and sensuality. The cut-through-sharp lip, asLavater , or at least his translator, terms it, has to contendwith avarice and anxiety. Lips closed accurately withoutexertion, and handsome in the outline, belong to the exer-cise of discretion and firmness. Lips with the latter advan-tage, and the upper projecting, are generally appropriated tothe virtuous and benevolent; though there are, withoutdoubt, numberless persons of excellent characters whoseunder lips project. But in Lavater 's opinion, the last pecu-liarity implies a well meaning man, whose goodness consistsrather of cold fidelity, than ardent friendship. The underlip, hollowed in the middle, denotes a fanciful character.Let the moment be remarked when the conceit of the jocu-lar man descends to his lips, and it will be seen to be alittle hollow in the middle.

The mouth naturally closed, invariably signifies fortitudeand courage. While the latter quality is in agitation themouth closes insensibly. The naturally open mouth marksa disposition to complain; the closed, on the contrary, de-notes endurance. Though physiognomists, adds Lavater ,have as yet but little noticed these particulars, yet muchmight be said concerning the lips improper, or fleshy cover-ing of the upper teeth, on which anatomists have not, to hisknowledge, yet bestowed any name, and which may becalled the curtain, or pallium, extending from the beddingof the nose to the red upper lip proper. If the upper lipimproper, be long, the proper is always short; if it be shortand hollow, the proper will be long and fcurved: anothercertain demonstration of the conformity of the human coun-tenance. Hollow upper lips'are much less common, thanflat and perpendicular; the character they denote is equallyuncommon.

Teeth .—The ancients who studied the physiognomy otman, supposed that diminutive short teeth betrayed theweakness of those who possessed them; more modern ob-