537. The elements of human nature - the characters of individuals - are expressed by certain faculties located in the head. When the mind is concentrated on a particular thought, a certain part of the brain is developed and in growing causes a prominence to be formed on the skull. This concentration of thought on certain subjects soon shapes the character of the individual and the muscles of the various features of the face are altered accordingly.

538. Very few workers give much consideration to this subject, yet it is one which deserves attention by the retoucher who desires to apply his art to the very best advantage. Physiognomy, phrenology and character reading are actually sciences, and can be relied upon absolutely to give a perfect reading of the character of the individual, providing you understand the principles involved.

539. It is impossible to take one feature and judge the character of the individual by it, for there are times when the nose, for instance, might, by its shape, indicate that the individual was of a strong commercial temperament, yet the balance of the head might discredit this entirely. As a rule, however, much can be depended upon by each of the features, and if one feature expresses a certain faculty the other features will conform to it.

540. Some people are of the opinion that heads mean nothing, yet in order to let you judge for yourself, we desire that you compare the two accompanying figures in Illustration No. 37. Fig. 1 is an outline of the head in which the thinking, moral and esthetic faculties stand out

the strongest. In fact, all of the higher faculties are most strongly developed. This is exemplified by a high forehead, the high frontal top head, the broad temples, and the expansion of the upper half of the back head. In these portions are located all of the better, unselfish, humane, cheerful, moral and spiritual faculties. When these exist strongly in the individual they shape the head as illustrated. Whatever is the shape of the head so will be the shape of the face. Notice the face in particular and see the happy, tender, true, refined, friendly, generous and cheerful expression. 541. Compare Fig. 2 with Fig. 1. Notice in particular

Illustration No. 37. Character Chart - General Shape of Head.

See Paragraph 540.

the shape of the head. It is exactly the opposite of that in Fig. 1. Observe also, how the face corresponds. Now, which of these two persons would you rather meet on a lonely highway? Your preference, we know, will be for the first one. When it comes to a practical test, a test of life or death, or a test of dollars arid cents, then prejudices are immediately dropped and physiognomy and phrenology are at once accepted. This is but one case, yet it serves its purpose in demonstrating the importance of character reading.

542. Our object in introducing this subject in an elementary way in this volume, is to acquaint you with the necessity of retaining all of the good qualities of the individual and trying, so far as is consistent, to alter or modify the predominating undesirable qualities. The charts which accompany this chapter are intended simply as outline illustrations which you may use as guides for altering or retaining the shape of the different features.

543. As a preliminary caution, we wish to impress upon you the advisability of retaining in the negative as much of the characteristics of the individual as possible. Do not attempt to carry the altering of the features to an extreme. This is by no means advisable and we discourage it most emphatically.