Of the above instances, Voltaire is the most decidedly deficient in the Cogitative, which is always essential to indicate a capacity for the deep, close and serious thought requisite to constitute a truly great and philosophic mind. The angle at which his nose stood from his face was quite 45°, and therefore much too great to exhibit faithfully the higher characteristics of the Greek. It was, moreover, exceedingly deficient in the broadening property of Class III; and we presume that no one will assert that Voltaire possessed “a truly great and philosophic mind.” Surely no man, who ever wrote so much, and on such varied subjects, ever devoted less time to close intense thought. He did not even stop to examine his facts; but, having a brilliant wit and “the pen of a ready writer,” he rapidly evolved some fanciful theory, or started some fallacious argument from such unauthenticated data as he happened to be possessed of. All this was indicated by his sharp Greek Nose; for it was acuteness, not depth; readiness, not thought; careless, unprincipled wit, not study; attractive style, not sound matter, which earned him his short-lived fame. Hence, Voltaire, though striving all his life to gain the title of philosopher, never succeeded even in the most unphilosophic age and country since the revival of learning, and is now, we believe, wholly excluded from the dignity. It has been truly and wittily said of Voltaire, that “he half knew everything, ‘from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall,’ and he wrote of them all, and laughed at them all.”
It will be noticed that the foregoing list contains the name of “Milton, in youth.” It is inserted thus, because his portrait, taken ætat. XXIII, shows that his Nose was not then developed into the Cogitative form which it assumed in later years, when troublous times and anxious cares caused him to reflect profoundly on events around him. Then it expanded at the base and became, like the Noses of all the great men of those stirring times, largely compounded with the Cogitative; under the compounds of which class it will again, at a later period of his life, appear. From this corresponding change in feature with change in character, we might, if we thought proper, demand the same proof for our system which the phrenologists demand for theirs, from the gradual alteration in the skull of the boy Bidder; and though (as our system is, we conceive, better based than theirs) it is unnecessary to lay as much stress upon a single fact as they are compelled to do, yet we think it right not to let this proof pass wholly without observation.
Having already treated at some length of the Romano-Greek Nose (Sub-class I
II.), it is unnecessary to enlarge here upon its close ally the Greco-Roman II
I. Of course they are somewhat similar in appearance and character; only as in every compound form, one simple one will generally prevail—Nature, like a bad cook, not always mixing her ingredients in due proportions—it is necessary to distinguish them into different sub-classes.
A noticeable predominance of one form will at once indicate to which sub-class a Nose belongs, and the character will be found to be affected accordingly. Thus a Romano-Greek Nose indicates a more energetic and less refined character than a Greco-Roman. But these are the minutiæ of the science, with which it is not advisable at present to embarrass the reader.
BYRON.
CHAPTER IV.
OF THE COGITATIVE NOSE.
Class III.—The Cogitative, or Wide-Nostrilled Nose, is, as its secondary name imports, wide at the end, thick and broad, not clubbed, but gradually widening from below the bridge. The other Noses are seen in profile, but this in full face.
It indicates a Cogitative mind, having strong powers of Thought, and given to close and serious Meditation. Its indications are of course much dependent on the form of the Nose in profile, which decides the turn the Cogitative power will take. Of course it never occurs alone, and is usually associated with Classes I. and II. rarely with IV., still more seldom with V. and VI. The entire absence of it produces the “sharp” Nose, which is not classified, a sharpness is only a negative quality, being defect of breadth, and therefore indicates defect of Cogitative power.
It is manifest that without some portion of the Cogitative power, i. e., the capacity of concentrating the thoughts earnestly and powerfully in one focus, no character can be truly great. It is therefore a quality essential to high and durable eminence in every department of life. It matters not what a man’s natural talents may be, they will be utterly useless, or worse than useless, if he has not schooled his mind into habits of concentrated thought. It is the want of this severe training which causes so many men of fine talents to be a burden to themselves and others. How frequently have we to lament the humiliating spectacle of a great genius—as the phrase is—flitting about from pursuit to pursuit, without any settled end or aim; now attempting this thing, now dabbling in that; doing all things tolerably well, but nothing perfectly; aiming at everything, but holding fast to nothing; and merely from want of steady settled habits of thought! How melancholy is it to reflect that the want of self-training in early life has converted the blessing of talents into a curse, and turned the fine wheat of heaven’s planting into the rank tares of Hell!