Comparative physiognomy; or, Resemblances between men and animals . the notes of differentbirds are the sounds of their affections, and the bird that canexpress them all must have inspired the feelings which eachone expresses the moment he heard them. Another trait of the mocking-bird is his deadly hostility tooppressors, particularly the snake, and his readiness to takethe part of the injured. This is naturally associated with elo-quence. In all ages of the world, and in all countries, the theme that has awa-kened eloquence morethan any other is Lib-erty, and the right ofthe weak to the pro-t
Comparative physiognomy; or, Resemblances between men and animals . the notes of differentbirds are the sounds of their affections, and the bird that canexpress them all must have inspired the feelings which eachone expresses the moment he heard them. Another trait of the mocking-bird is his deadly hostility tooppressors, particularly the snake, and his readiness to takethe part of the injured. This is naturally associated with elo-quence. In all ages of the world, and in all countries, the theme that has awa-kened eloquence morethan any other is Lib-erty, and the right ofthe weak to the pro-tection and sympathyof the strong. A badcause inspires some-thing the very oppo-site of this. The elo-quence uttered in thecause of humanity isdivine, and only this isimmortal. And thoseorators whose serviceswere rendered to hu-manity, and whose fame is the inheritance of mankind, hadwonderful knowledge of the human heart. The action of anorator is the earnest of his sensibility, every nerve and fibreof his frame being thrilled with the enthusiasm of his inspira-. THE MOCKING-BIRD. 327 tion, like the bird, alive in every feather, fast fluttering allat once, and unable to contain himself. The eloquence it-self, as corresponding to the outpourings of the mocking-bird— it would be a letting-down to attempt to describe it. It is mans freedom and his moral accountability that areindicated in the countenance. Technically speaking, thesigns of the voluntary action of the faculties are in the this reason, and because pathos and the ability to movethe feelings of others implies a knowledge of nature, and ofhuman nature in particular, eloquence is inseparable fromphysiognomy. The beautiful things appertaining to the lat-ter that are always being introduced into the discourses ofour finest orators, are proof of the connection. The knowledgeof Nature in its widest sense is embraced in the term Physi-ognomy, and Nature is the theme of the most glowing descrip-tions. The crowning w
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookpubl, booksubjectphysiognomy
