Comparative physiognomy; or, Resemblances between men and animals . reatsignificance in the wordscalf, goose, dog, monkey, and so on, when applied contemptu-ously. They betray fragments of a true science, perverted tothe degradation of human beings. There is equal evidenceof tlierudiments of this science in the popular mind in theuse of the words kitty, laml, duck, dove, and the names ofother gentle and favorite pets, applied to those who have cor-responding traits. In a rude and simple state of society, thedesignation of an individual by some ruling trait of charac-ter, embodied in the form o
Comparative physiognomy; or, Resemblances between men and animals . reatsignificance in the wordscalf, goose, dog, monkey, and so on, when applied contemptu-ously. They betray fragments of a true science, perverted tothe degradation of human beings. There is equal evidenceof tlierudiments of this science in the popular mind in theuse of the words kitty, laml, duck, dove, and the names ofother gentle and favorite pets, applied to those who have cor-responding traits. In a rude and simple state of society, thedesignation of an individual by some ruling trait of charac-ter, embodied in the form of some animal, shows what foun-dation this department of Physiognomy has in nature and inthe human mind, and how easily and naturally it is is not probable that the American Indians are indebted toour modern civilization for an observation of those correspond-encee which have led them to apply the terms wild-cat, olack-hawk, alligator, snapping-turtle, and the like, to their chiefsand warriors. Hut, lest the reader should suppose that his estimation of. BEASTS AND BIRDS. 15 man is much higher than our own, we will here state that,in our opinion, the essential attributes of a human beingelevate him to a point be-yond comparison with theanimal creation. The termman, in its highest sense,is synonymous with are not born, and per-adventure we are not menwhen we come to mansestate. It may be that weare but children of an old-er growth. Man is theresult of education, of im-provement. He is self-made, if he be made at all, and the character which he formsfor himself is indicated in his countenance. But if truly aman, he considers himself the workmanship of a higher power,for in his own creation he works from a sense of duty, and inopposition to himself, or to the animal which Nature has madehim. We say emphatically— Man is a name of honor for a king — though, according to the definition, most men who are pro-moted to royalty are worthy of the title of king of b
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