DOMESTIC PROPENSITIES.
Thisorgan produces the sexual passion, and imparts to its possessor a desire for the happiness of the opposite sex. In society it does much to promote general kindliness of feeling, and urbanity of manners.
Predominant.—One in whom this organ predominates, will incline to be libidinous, licentious and lustful. If his moral organs are very large, particularly Firmness and Conscientiousness, he may restrain the outward expression of this feeling; but it will, nevertheless, be powerful, and at times overwhelming. If long deprived of the society of the other sex, he will feel lonesome and disconsolate.
Large.—With large Amativeness and Adhesiveness, an individual will be exceedingly attached to the society of the other sex; and will be capable of readily ingratiating himself into their favour. If with these organs large, and small Firmness and Conscientiousness, although his love will be intense and fervid, yet he will be apt to be capricious and fickle in his attachments. He will be inclined rather to seek the favour of the sex generally, than to limit his regard to a single object. If Adhesiveness, Inhabitiveness and Philoprogenitiveness are large, he will be induced to marry early, but if Adhesiveness, Philoprogenitiveness, and Conscientiousness are small, he will be inclined to gratify this feeling without reference to the laws of morality. With Self-esteem, Firmness, and Secretiveness large, although he may love intensely, yet he will not allow his passion to predominate over him; if disappointed, he will not be subdued, but manifest to the spectator the appearance of unconcern. With such a combination, he will, in all cases, feel much more intensely than his expressions will imply. If Mirthfulness is large, and Conscientiousness and Ideality small, he will be liable to joke, and be fond of licentious allusions.
Moderate.—With a moderate developement of this organ, an individual will take great pleasure in the society of ladies, whose taste and feelings coincide with his own. If his Moral Sentiments and Intellect are large, he will be averse to the society of the merely volatile and frivolous. If Ideality and Love of Approbation are large, he will be attracted by the company of the gay and fashionable. If Ideality and Intellect generally, are large, he will be disgusted with vulgarity and libidinous allusions. His passion will be deep, but not lasting, and with a moderate amount of controlling organs he can restrain it at will.
Small.—When this organ is small, an individual will be distant and reserved towards females. If Adhesiveness is large, he may be attached to the society of a select few; but the connexion will be of a strictly Platonic character. He will be unable to feel the peculiar pleasures of female society. If Adhesiveness and Philoprogenitiveness are large, he may be disposed to a matrimonial alliance; but if these organs are small, he will be decidedly averse to such a connexion. If one with Moral Sentiments moderate, and Destructiveness and Self-esteem large, under the influence of the aforementioned combination, were to marry, the connexion would be necessarily an unfortunate one; his attachment could not outlive the vicissitudes attending the marriage state, and would inevitably degenerate into disdain and aversion. He would, notwithstanding, be a fond parent, though his affection would be capricious and ill regulated. With Adhesiveness, Conscientiousness, Veneration, and Benevolence large, an individual’s regard for the wife of his choice, if fortunate in his selection, will increase with time; the strength of his superior sentiments more than supplying the want of animal passion.
Thelegitimate office of this organ is to produce love for one’s own offspring. It produces, however, in the breast of its possessor an affection for children indiscriminately; for the feeble and helpless; for pets—as dogs, horses, cats, &c., and even for inanimate objects. It has an influence in producing general kindliness of disposition. A peculiarity of its character consists in its inspiring its possessor to love with the fondest affection the child that is the most helpless, and even the one that has caused the greatest solicitude and brought down on its parent the deepest disgrace.
Predominant.—An individual in whom this organ predominates has a constant hankering for the society of children. If without them himself, he views the deprivation as a great misfortune, and if his circumstances are favourable, will be likely to adopt one, for the purpose of exhausting the energy of this feeling upon it. He will be likewise much attached to pets, as horses and dogs.
Large.—Those who possess this organ large, betray it in every look and motion when in company with children. They take the greatest delight in their society, and enter into their little troubles and enjoyments with the greatest zeal. They readily enlist their confidence, and can easily control them. If deprived of their society, they will exhaust their attachment upon some pet animal which they will frequently fondle. When Combativeness, Destructiveness and Philoprogenitiveness are large, an individual will punish children severely when they annoy him, notwithstanding his great affection for them. If Self-esteem and Combativeness are small, he will be liable to humour his children and allow them improper indulgences. With Combativeness and Destructiveness large, he will be apt to be capricious in his feelings towards children, at one time humoring them, and at another petulant and cross.
Moderate.—With Philoprogenitiveness moderate, a person will be attached to his own children to a good degree, and may take some interest in others after they begin to lose their infantile character. This feeling, however, will not be durable. He will readily tire of children when they annoy him. The death of a child will be a poignant affliction to him, but it will be soon forgotten. If Destructiveness and Self-esteem are large, he will be liable to punish them with severity for trivial offences.
Small.—With this organ small, a person will be exceedingly annoyed by children. If a parent, he will consign the care of them to menials. In all his intercourse with company, he will betray a marked indifference to their society. If ever induced to amuse them, his awkwardness will betray itself to the most casual observer. If Benevolence is large, he will take all needful care of them; but if Secretiveness and Destructiveness are large, he will delight to torment and teaze them.
Thisorgan furnishes the instinct of social attachment. Towards the object of its regard it excites the purest feelings of affection. It is not satisfied with loving, it must also be loved, and requires for its healthy existence a constant exchange of pure and radiant affection. It diffuses its influence over the whole character of the man, and tends to render him kind, amiable, and affectionate. It leads to the love of company, and of social intercourse. While it is the germ of many virtues, it is to be feared; in the present state of society, it is likewise productive of many vices.
Predominant.—With Adhesiveness predominant, an individual is pre-eminently qualified to enjoy friendship, and will be miserable without it. He will often feel the yearnings of affection coming over him with all the intensity of a passion. His most vivid enjoyments are experienced in the society of his friends. He readily recognises the existence of a similar feeling in another, and, if circumstances are favourable, they soon become intimate.
Large.—One having Adhesiveness large, is eminently social and affectionate. With large Moral organs, will make great sacrifices to render his friends service, and will esteem the pleasures of friendship as one of the chief sources of enjoyment. With Combativeness and Destructiveness large, and Self-esteem moderate, will resent an aggression upon a friend which he would not notice upon himself. If Self-esteem is large, with Combativeness and Destructiveness large, he will easily get angry with his friends, but will be readily conciliated. With Benevolence and Love of Approbation large, is exceedingly liberal and forward among friends; will do his utmost to please and gratify them; earnestly desire their approbation; and will be exceedingly sensitive to their reproaches. With Firmness and Conscientiousness small, will be capricious in his attachments. With Secretiveness and Self-esteem large, he will not fully express the feelings which he experiences, and will thus leave the impression that his affection is less than it really is.
Moderate.—One having Adhesiveness moderate, may be strongly attached to friends, but his friendships will be readily severed. He may be companionable, and with large Benevolence will be generous and good-hearted, but he will still lack that strong feeling of sympathy without which friendship is but a name.
Small.—With Adhesiveness small, an individual will be unsocial, cold-hearted and selfish. If his moral organs predominate over self-esteem, he may be companionable, but he will be nearly wanting in the attributes of character ascribed to this organ.
Thisorgan produces home-sickness, and causes a feeling of regret to take possession of the mind when leaving a place in which one has long resided. It is the first element of patriotism. It produces a desire to locate and reside in a particular place, and adds much to the strength of family attachments.
Predominant.—One in whom Inhabitiveness predominates, is pre-eminently attached to any place with which he has become familiar. It causes him much pain to leave it, and he returns to it with eagerness.
Large.—One having inhabitiveness large, will experience the most poignant sensations of regret at leaving a place with which he has become familiar. Even a particular house, garden, office or room, has for him peculiar gratifications. With large Locality, will take delight in travelling, but will be constantly harassed by thoughts of home. This is more especially the case if Concentrativeness is large. If Self-esteem and Veneration are large, he will be eminently patriotic, and will defend his country from aspersions with as much vigour as himself. Veneration being large, he will experience the profoundest feelings of respect and regard for the memory of the departed worthies of its history; and with large Individuality, Eventuality, &c., he will take great delight in reading the history of his own country, and of conversing upon its character and institutions. If long absent from home, he is constantly curious, and eagerly seeks every means of being informed concerning it. The peculiarities of the different places in which he has resided often occur to him with feelings of the most vivid pleasure.
Moderate.—One in whom Inhabitiveness is moderate, will not change his residence without regret, yet soon becomes reconciled to a new location. If long absent from his country, Self-esteem being small, he will become expatriated in feeling, and identify himself wholly with the country in which he resides.
Small.—When Inhabitiveness is small, the individual will be constantly prompted to change his place of residence. Unless this feeling is counteracted by the strength of other organs, he cannot get familiarized with a place without becoming dissatisfied and restless.
Thisorgan imparts the power of continuity of thought. It also aids in enabling its possessor to continue the action of the organs generally.
Predominant.—One having Concentrativeness predominant, with Causality large, will be much subject to absence of mind. He will be quite unable to attend to more than one thing at a time, and will be generally prolix in conversation.
Large.—With large Concentrativeness, an individual will be much disturbed if more than one thing claim attention at once; has a strong inclination after taking up a subject to pursue it till he has completed it. In conversation he will be much distracted if it is desultory in its character. If a writer, his compositions will exhibit a sustained unity of expression throughout.
Moderate.—One with Concentrativeness moderate, is inclined to pursue a subject or train of thought, but can be easily diverted from it. If Causality and Intellect generally are moderate, is neither inclined to pursue a study to its termination, nor is he able to pass rapidly to another. With nervous temperament he will possess great versatility of attention.
Small.—With Concentrativeness small, an individual will be quite unable to devote his attention for any length of time to a single study or subject. In ordinary conversation, he will fly from one subject to another, without order or arrangement. His friends, even if strongly attached to them, will not be long thought of at a time. His antipathies will be readily assuaged. He will possess great vivacity of disposition.