How to Read Human Nature: Its Inner States and Outer Forms

by William Walker Atkinson

CHAPTER XVIII
EYES, EARS AND NOSES

It has been said that "the eyes are the windows of the soul," and indeed they do express a something that is not possible to any other part of the face or body. When unrestrained the eye correctly portrays the innermost feelings and emotions affecting and influencing us, and in many cases we are able to get a clear and unobstructed view of the soul behind the eyes by gazing into them. But, alas! it is possible to mask the expression of the eyes, and to counterfeit emotions and feelings which do not exist within the mind. Men and women trained in the arts of dissimulation and concealment, may, and do, conceal their thoughts and feelings which ordinarily would be reflected in their eyes; and many, especially women, are able to counterfeit feelings which have no real existence in their minds or souls. We have seen women bestowing upon the unsuspecting "mere man," the most artless, ingenuous "baby stare," while at the same time their minds were filled with craft and cunning. We have seen others whose eyes portrayed the most absolute innocence and truth, while their hearts were filled with selfish, base feelings, and their minds with cunning schemes. The trained diplomat and skilled gambler successfully mask their thoughts, and their eyes reflect nothing of their secrets; and, upon occasion, they are able to throw into their eyes any desired expression. The best authorities on Physiognomy hold that the mouth is a much more reliable index of thought and character than the eye—for the eye may lie, while the mouth betrays itself even when attempting the counterfeit.

But, nevertheless, the eyes do betray character, not by their expression but by their shape and form. Habitual mental states reflect in the outer form of the eyes, in spite of the care of their owners not to let them tell the secret of the thought and feeling of the moment. The story is told not by the expression of the eye, but by the muscles surrounding the eyes, the eye-lids, etc. In fact, the eye-lids supply the greater part of that which we call the "expression of the eye," their contractions and relaxations producing the effect.

Secretiveness, cunning, and closeness are denoted by closely drawn eye-lids, a furtive look often being imparted thereby. This position of the eye-lids has been likened to an instinctive inclination to draw the eye-lids together to hide the expression of the eye, but it probably arises from the original trait of the animal to protect his eyes from attack when engaging in a fight, or raid. As an instance of this, it will be found that a feeling of cruelty, or desire to hurt another, will manifest in a compression of the eye-lids, and a tightening of the upper eyelid which assumes a straight form. Frankness, truthfulness and honesty are, in the same way, indicated by open, free looking eyes. This expression may be counterfeited upon occasions, but the counterfeit may be detected by observing the eyes when the owner is off guard.

The fighting, destructive, motive feelings are indicated by straight lines of the lids. Affection, benevolence, sympathy, and love, manifest in curving, drooping, full eye-lids, the absence of straight lines being marked. Amativeness and Alimentiveness show in very thick eye-lids, giving a sensual gross expression to the eyes. Destructiveness manifests in a tightening of the upper lid, and a bearing down upon the eyeball. Approbativeness gives a peculiar "coquettish" relaxation of the upper eye-lid, which is suggestive of the desire to wink in a meaning manner. Humor gives a peculiar contraction to the eye-lids, and at the same time producing the little lines radiating from each outer corner of the eye-lids—the "laughing wrinkles." Ideality, Optimism, and Mysticism impart an open expression to the eyes. Cautiousness, when large, also gives to the eyes an open, almost startled, surprised expression.

Large, protruding eyes are held to be indicative of wordiness, talkativeness, and lack of careful thought—the desire to talk for the pleasure of hearing oneself talk.

In connection with the subject of the outer form manifesting in the eyes, we would call your attention to the quotation from Prof. O. S. Fowler, appearing in Lesson XIII, in which he speaks of certain of the Perceptive Qualities which indicate in outer form in the region of the eye, as follows: "The shape of the eyebrows reveals the size, absolute and relative, of each, thus: When all are large, the eyebrow is long and arching; when all are deficient, it is long and straight; when some are large and others small, it arches over the large ones, but passes horizontally over those which are small. This rule is infallible." In connection therewith, we suggest that the student re-read carefully Chapter XIII, which deals with the Perceptive Qualities which manifest outer form in the region of the eye.

EARS

Many physiognomists pass lightly over the subject of the ears as an index of character, while others seem to specialize on this feature.