CHAPTER X. EYE-BROWS. IF the forehead has decided grace and intelligence, the brow can seldom defeat this effect; indeed, the forehead generally unites some other kindred expression, which leaves no doubt of the dignity of the mind. Perhaps no forehead is so rare and so beautiful as that of Shakespeare. The noble and good are generally known; yet, as we have before said, we deem the eye-brow very influential in aiding the expression of some countenances. Indeed, some are so masked with selfish desires, and the versatility of cunning, that the eye-brow must be regarded as almost the only part unable to hide the worthlessness of its proprietor. There are many instances which prove the high degree of intelligence expressed by the brow; amongst such, we quote, Torquato Tasso, Boileau, Turenne, Newton, Wesley, Dr. Melville, Sir Astley Cooper, Byron, Moore, Scott, Sir Roger Murchison, Mr. Justice Coleridge, Mr. Rolt, Q.C., Professor Ferguson, Lord Justice Knight Bruce, the late Sir William Follett, and many eminent men. There is also a female dignity of brow, but that is regularly arched, and gives the idea of power and beauty. The horizontal brow is generally a masculine possession, but when in woman's countenance, there is generally an arched line aiding the illustration of a gentle heart. There are many rough but honest-hearted men, who bear wild and perplexed brows; yet, there are brutal, selfish, covetous ones, wearing this brow; and, unless the hair is obviously soft and glistening, you must avoid them, for if they have ardour or passion, it has dark and evil engagements. The hairs running parallel, as if cut, and at the same time compressed, are leading indications in man and woman of firm understanding, and an unerring perception; and when there is a crescent in the brow when smiling, the fair owner of this brow is poetical and imaginative. When speaking of the size of the eye, or brow, or ear, the physical stature must be considered, and that which would be small in one is not in another. Meeting brows give the face a crafty and gloomy appearance, and occasionally denote dark and dangerous purposes of heart. Wild eye-brows, are never found with an absolutely mild and yielding disposition. Eye-brows, waving above the eyes, short, thick, not long, nor broad, very often denote capacious memory. The ingenious, flexile, mild, and good, very often have these brows. Thick, black, strong eye-brows, declining downwards, close upon the eye, shading deep, large eyes, and accompanied by a sharp, indented, uninterrupted wrinkle of the cheek, which on the slightest motion manifests contempt, disdain, and cold derision, and having above them a conspicuously bony forehead, are allied to the murderer and general felon, or the brutal desire of doing injury to others. If you must ever yield to such, do not let them discover they have you thoroughly under their influence. There is a sunken eye-brow, which tells of the severe and melancholy thoughts which defy the light of life to remove; it never attends the mind of the profound, nor is there moral courage or forecasting in such countenances. Weak eye-brows denote pusillanimity and meanness in man; and, also with woman, if she is otherwise physically strong, but if delicate, you must consult the eye itself, as this weakness of brow may be gentleness. Irregular, interrupted eye-brows, denote impetuosity. If the brow is very near to the eyes, the more earnest, deep, and firm, will the character be; the more remote from the eyes, the more volatile, easily diverted from any enterprise. White eye-brows suggest weakness and want of self-reliance; here the grey mare will be the best horse, and so it should be. We know there are exceptions to this rule, where the amiability of spirit o'er-shines all physical development. The dark brown is power, permanency, defiance of fate, bearing vicissitudes, and courteous to death himself—this is man. There are motions of the eye which demand more notice than the very lines and colours; these motions often perfect the image of anger and contempt, superciliousness and pride. Men with small ears seldom have brows which you care to examine, they generally denote the niggard, and conceited. The eyes of such are generally small and fitful in motion, and never to be trusted. Of course, this observation does not apply to the fair sex, as dame Nature delights to make some of her choicest works small, as indicative of innocence and sweetness. When she makes the eye and ear of man small, she sends such forth as exceptions of her power, and to try the perception and precaution of her more favoured children. Of such persons are they who desert all principle, if it requires manly courage to support it. They are too conceited to importune. with their presence; and, therefore, it will be your own fault if you suffer them to annoy you; if they ever have, you have learnt a lesson you will never forget. There are some so woefully deep in this ditch of conceit that they would sacrifice property, and even the life of their friends, rather than acknowledge themselves incorrect. When this is made manifest, the whole being displays one feeling, viz., malignant malice. Here and there, we meet with an exception as to the expression, but you will be seldom deceived, if you avoid them; of course, the forehead may rule. As age advances, the brow of man generally becomes shaggy, with a wild luxuriance; but, in middle age, this appearance denotes a manly understanding, though seldom original genius, but never a volatile, tenderness and spirituality. Such eyebrows deck the eyes of counsellors, framers of plans, experimentalists; but very seldom, bold, aspiring, adventurous minds of the first magnitude. Horizontal eye-brows denote understanding, coldness of heart, and capacity for framing plans. One of the best judges of eyes and eye-brows is woman, as she is mostly free from those circumstances which mislead; she is herself a prophetess, and of kind and unprejudiced mind. A most important element in the power of judging of the expression of the eye and eye-brow is, that the observer shall have an intelligent mind, and kind heart; for with the prejudiced, unprincipled, or unthinking, the rules of the experienced and sensitive philosopher are indescribable hieroglyphics: to them the radiant eye of beauty and innocence, the exalted expression of imagination, and the profundity of genius are scarcely distinguishable from the pandering graces of fashion, or time-serving sycophancy, or the monotonous eye of mere fanaticism, or incurable monomanism. To those who love not music or poetry, we fear we shall sometimes have appeared unintelligible. CHAPTER XI. POET'S IMAGERY. ADDISON Said :- "A beautiful eye makes silence eloquent; а kind eye makes contradiction an assent, &c. This member gives life to every part about us, and I believe the eye is in every part of us." Dr. Roget says, in his Bridgewater Treatise, that visual impressions are those to which the philosopher resorts for the most apt and perspicuous illustrations of his reasoning; and it also forms the same inexhaustible class of principles from which the poet draws his most pleasing, graphic, and sublime imagery. We shall dare to spend one fleeting moment with those spirits, the poets. They are gone to their reward; but, as good angels, they still minister to us, guide and illuminate; they are around our bed, and watch our sleeping hours; they raise the eye-lid of love and charity; they carol in our path, and summon us to pray; they start in clarion voice, and raise our highest emulations; they whisper gently, and hush our meditations by the tomb and grave of the lovely and the loved. This world owes many of its sunniest hours to them—they never die But with the ministers of holy worlds, |