From forty, or better, he grew healthier, and then he had a fresh, ruddy, complexion. He was sanguineo-melancholicus; which the physiologers say is the most ingeniose complexion. He would say that 'there might be good witts of all complexions; but good-natured, impossible.'
Head. In his old age he was very bald[1428] (which claymed a veneration); yet within dore, he used to study, and sitt, bare-headed, and sayd he never tooke cold in his head, but that the greatest trouble was to keepe-off the flies from pitching on the baldnes. His head was ... inches in compasse (I have the measure), and of a mallet-forme (approved by the physiologers).
[1429]Skin. His skin was soft and of that kind which my Lord Chancellor Bacon in his History of Life and Death calles a goose-skin, i.e. of a wide texture:—
Crassa cutis, crassum cerebrum, crassum ingenium.
Face not very great; ample forehead; whiskers yellowish-redish, which naturally turned up—which is a signe of a brisque witt, e.g. James Howell, Henry Jacob of Merton College.
<Beard.> Belowe he was shaved close, except a little tip under his lip. Not but that nature[1430] could have afforded a venerable beard (Sapientem pascere barbam—Horat. Satyr. lib. 2), but being naturally of a cheerfull and pleasant humour[1431], he affected not at all austerity and gravity and to looke severe. [Vide[1432] page [47] of Mr. Hobbes considered—'Gravity and heavinesse of countenance are not so good marks of assurance of God's favour, as a chearfull, charitable, and upright behaviour, which are better signes of religion than the zealous maintaining of controverted doctrines.'] He desired not[1433] the reputation of his wisdome to be taken[1434] from the cutt of his beard, but from his reason—
Barba non facit philosophum. 'Il consiste tout en la pointe de sa barbe et en ses deux moustaches; et, par consequence, pour le diffaire il ne faut que trois coups de ciseau.'—Balzac, Lettres, tom. 2, p. 242.
[1435]Eie. He had a good eie, and that of a hazell colour, which was full of life and spirit, even to the last. When he was earnest in discourse, there shone (as it were) a bright live-coale within it.[1436]He had two kind of looks:—when he laugh't, was witty, and in a merry humour, one could scarce see his eies; by and by, when he was serious and positive[1437], he open'd his eies round (i.e. his eie-lids). He had midling eies, not very big, nor very little (from Sir W<illiam> P<etty>).
[1438]Stature. He was six foote high, and something better (quaere James Wh<eldon>), and went indifferently erect, or rather, considering his great age, very erect.
Sight; witt. His sight and witt continued to the last. He had a curious sharp sight, as he had a sharpe witt, which was also so sure and steady (and contrary to that men call bro<a>dwittednes) that I have heard him oftentimes say that in[1439]multiplying and dividing he[1440] never mistooke a figure: and so in other things.