So much had experience and matter of fact confirmed the excellent Lavater in his opinion respecting well formed and open foreheads, that he advises his readers never to despair of those persons, whether friends, enemies, or even malefactors, in which such striking indications of goodness are found. However far such an one may, from peculiar circumstances, depart from the right line of truth and rectitude, he is invariably susceptible of amendment, and ought not to be rashly or hastily given up.

That the reader may have as clear and comprehensive a view of this subject as possible, the following may be considered as a summary of the distinctive signs of a perfectly beautiful forehead, whose expression and form at once announce richness of judgment and dignity of character.

Such a forehead, it is remarked, must be in the most exact proportion with the rest of the face; that is, equal in length to the nose and lower part.

we may almost invariably reckon upon finding the possessor to be a character almost enthusiastic in his love of goodness; and to be endowed with some great and extraordinary talents.

When a finely arched forehead has in the middle, between the eye-brows, a slightly discernible perpendicular line, not too long or two parallel wrinkles of that kind, especially when the eye-brows are marked, compressed, and regular, it is to be ranked amongst the foreheads of the first magnitude. Such foreheads, beyond all doubt, appertain only to wise, masculine, and mature characters; and when they are found in females, they imply great discretion, and sound sense, betokening royal dignity and propriety of manners.

This subject is too important to be passed over with indifference, at the hazard, therefore, of a slight degree of occasional apparent repetition, I will present the reader with some further details respecting foreheads :

1

That forehead betokens weakness of intellect which has, in the middle and lower part, a scarcely observable long cavity, being itself consequently long. I say scarcely observable: for when it is conspicuous, every thing is changed. (See PLATE II. Fig. 1.)

Foreheads inclining to be long, with a closedrawn wrinkless skin, which exhibits no lively, cheerful wrinkles even in the few moments of joy, are cold, malign, suspicious, severe, selfish, censorious, conceited, mean, and seldom forgive. (See PLATE II. Fig. 2.)

Strongly projecting, in the upper part, very retreating foreheads, with arched noses, and a long under part of the countenance, continually hover over the depths of folly. (See PLATE II. Fig. 3.)

Every forehead which above projects, and below sinks in towards the eye, in a person of mature age, is a certain sign of incurable imbecility. (See PLATE II. Fig. 4.) dicent as