4. ACQUISITIVENESS.
This organ produces the desire to save, to hoard up and accumulate. It induces its possessor to acquire property without reference to its uses or his own necessities. It produces the instinct of property.
Predominant.—A person in whom this organ predominates, will be miserly, sordid and avaricious. He will look upon the accumulation of property as the great end of human existence. If with a low education, he will not scruple to steal and pilfer.
Large.—With large Acquisitiveness, and small Benevolence, an individual will be selfish, sordid and grasping; but with large Conscientiousness, he will not trespass on the rights of others. With Domestic Feelings small, he will be excessively penurious in regard to his family, and will begrudge every shilling that is expended for their benefit; but if Domestic Feelings are large, he will spend money freely for the comfort of his family, when he would not on his own account. With Love of Approbation and Ideality large, he will spend money freely, in order that he may excel in dress, equipage, &c., while at the same time, he will be excessively penurious in his dealings. With large Veneration, he will look with much respect and awe upon those who are distinguished for their wealth. With Love of Approbation large, he will be anxious to avoid the reputation of littleness in his dealings, and will often give to charitable objects, but will give in such a way as it shall be known. With Firmness, Self-esteem, Hope and Combativeness large, he will be eminently enterprising and persevering. If Caution is small, will be apt to rush into speculations heedlessly and recklessly; but if Caution is large, will be exceedingly prudent and careful in what he undertakes; but when he has come to a conclusion upon a point, he will pursue it with great zeal and energy. If Secretiveness is large, he will have great ability to make a bargain and effect an arrangement where many others would fail. If Cautiousness is large, and Hope and Self-esteem moderate or small, he will be averse to speculations and great enterprises, and prefer slow processes of accumulation. If Firmness is small, he will be apt to be fickle in his undertakings and not pursue them long enough to obtain his ends. If Conscientiousness and Veneration be large, he may be induced to give money to religious purposes. If Ideality and Veneration are large, he will be likely to hoard antiquities, medals, &c. With large Intellect, he will take great pleasure in accumulating a library. If Ideality and Love of Approbation are small, he will care little for the beauty of the binding or the neatness of the type; but with Ideality large, he will spend money freely for these luxuries. With Perceptive organs large, will be a good judge of property, &c.
Moderate.—With moderate Acquisitiveness, Self-esteem and Love of Approbation, a person may be close and economical in his dealings, be shrewd, enterprising and industrious, may make and accumulate money, but he will often spend it unnecessarily. With every desire, as he supposes, to save, yet he will find at the end of the year that he has expended much that he might have saved. If Alimentiveness is large, he will be unable to deny himself the pleasures of the table. If Adhesiveness is large, he will spend money freely for the gratification of his friends. If Benevolence is large, he will give much to objects of charity. He will look upon money as the means of enjoyment, and not as the end of human exertion.
Small.—A person in whom Acquisitiveness is small, will be unable to understand the value of money, or to take pleasure in its acquisition, and unless restrained by the influence of the moral feelings, will be a spendthrift.