Essays on physiognomy. ... for the promotion and the love of mankind / written in the German language by John Caspar Lavater ; tr. by Thomas Holcroft.
- Johann Kaspar Lavater
- Date:
- 1806
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Essays on physiognomy. ... for the promotion and the love of mankind / written in the German language by John Caspar Lavater ; tr. by Thomas Holcroft. Source: Wellcome Collection.
120/326 page 104
![body. The vcr\' dis])roportiüii between the lerrgtb the body and tlic sliortness of the Icgs, in the northcrn people, is suitable to tlieir climate; since the extremes ot‘ the body, by their dislanee froin tlie heart, are morc siibjeet lo the attacksof cold. 'l'he [)rüminent parts ol‘ ihe coimteuance, which can Icss he giiarded from cold, by the care of na- ture f’or their preservatioii, have a propensitv to be- come niore fiat. 'J'he rising check-bone, tlie half- closcd, bllnking cycs, appcar to be iiitcndcd Ibr the preservatioii of sight against the dry, cold air, and the elTusions ot' light f'roiu the snow (to giiard against which the lisquimaux nse snow spcciaclcs), thüugh thcy niay be the natural ell’ect of the cli-' inate, since they are l’ound only in a suialler degree in milder latitudes. Tims gradmdly are j)rodiiceil the beardless chin, the fiatted nose, thin lips, blink- ing cycs, fiat countenances, red-brown complex- ion, black hair, and, in a word, the face of the Cahnuc. Such properties, by continued propa- gation, at length form a distant race, which con- tinues to remain distinct, even whcn transplantcd into warmer climates. The red-brown or copper colour appears to be as natural an efiect of the acidity of the air, in cold climates, as the olive-brown of the alcalineand bi- Jious quality of the Juices in warm; without taking the native disposition of the Amcricau'into the csti- niate,avho appears to have lost halt the powers ot lile, which may be regarded as the efiect ot cold. The growth of the porous parts ot the body jiiust increasc in the hot and moist climates. Mcnce the thick short nose and projecting lips. The skiti must be oilcd, not only to jircvetit cxccssive jicr- spiration, but also the imbibing the |»utrescent particles of the moist air. 'l’he surplus ot the ter- rugihous.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22029734_0120.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
