Page:Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of Paracelsus Vol I (IA cu31924092287121).djvu/200

 A long nose curved downwards is a good sign. It denotes a strenuous, provident man, occult and cruel, but still just.

A flat nose indicates a malignant man, false, lustful, untruthful, inconstant.

A pointed nose indicates a changeable person, given to mockery.

A long nose shews a man slow in business, yet of good odour.

Hollow cheeks denote a talkative, contemptuous, contentious person.

An oblong chin, with a long face, shews an irritable man, one who is slow at his work.

A cleft chin shews a faithful man, officious, of abstruse and diversified speech; a man who says one thing and means another; quick at anger, yet repenting of his passion; ingenious and inventive.

A large, wide mouth shews a gluttonous man, insipid, fatuous, shameless, and fearless. A small mouth indicates the contrary.

Lips drawn together, when the upper is larger than the lower, shew an irritable man, pugnacious, courageous; yet for the most part of heavy, unchaste character, like a pig.

Lips larger below shew a dense, stupid, slow person.

Concerning the hair of the head or beard, the signs are not very plain, since experience teaches us that this can be marvellously varied according as it is black, yellow, red, or white, and hoary, or curled. So, too, hair is rendered soft or hard according to people's wish. Hence it is that many persons, who are in other respects well-skilled in physiognomical science, are woefully deceived when they rashly pass judgment from the hair, imputing to the stars what should rather be ascribed to men. Still it cannot be denied that hair firmly fixed on the head shews good health, both of the head and of the whole body. This is why people who buy horses pluck their tails so as to judge of their soundness. So swine are judged by their bristles, fish from their fins and scales, a bird by its feathers, and so on.

If the neck is unusually long, transcending the limits of Nature, it denotes a careful man, prudent and attentive.

Broad shoulders and back shew a man who is strong for carrying and moving things. Muscular arms also shew a man who is strong and robust in beating, thrusting, throwing, and the like.

Hard hands bespeak a laborious, mercenary man; soft hands, the contrary.

A short body and long legs denote a good runner, one who is easily satisfied with food and drink, but generally a man of somewhat short life.

Large and conspicuous veins in a man below mid age signify that he is full of blood and bodily juices; but above middle age they denote a sickly man who is still, however, vivacious.

With reference to manners and gesture, a man cannot be so easily known or judged from these. Experience teaches us that these can be changed every moment, so as to deceive the signator, and lead him to an erroneous judgment.