SELFISH PROPENSITIES.
Thisorgan gives the desire to oppose, resist and overcome. It renders its possessor able to encounter difficulties, and to be bold and strenuous in his opposition. If not properly regulated, it leads to a desire to contradict and quarrel for the sake of opposition. It gives vigour and zeal to the pugilist and warrior.
Predominant.—When this organ predominates, the individual will be bold, disputatious and quarrelsome. In an encounter he will never be satisfied till he has obtained the mastery. He will display great nerve and determination in whatever he undertakes. With Self-esteem large, and Conscientiousness and Benevolence small, he will be extremely quarrelsome and overbearing.
Large.—With Self-esteem large, the individual will be pre-eminently bold and enterprising. If Firmness is small, he will be wavering in his views; but if Firmness is large, he will add perseverance to courage, and never give up a point while a reasonable hope of success remains. If with this combination, and Moral Sentiments small, he will be litigious and quarrelsome. If Destructiveness is small, he will be fond of disputing, but will avoid giving pain. If Destructiveness is large, and Benevolence small, he will be vindictive and cruel, and will ever be disposed to vindicate his own importance, regardless of circumstances or the rights of others. If Love of Approbation, Benevolence, Veneration and Conscientiousness are large, he will avoid all low contentions, and will direct the action of this organ to the maintenance of right and the enforcement of just opinion.
Moderate.—One with moderate Combativeness, will forbear in a contention as long as Self-esteem will allow. If his temperament is active, he may be irritable and passionate, but upon the whole, will be peaceable. If his religious feelings are strong, notwithstanding his usual distaste for opposition, he will contend strenuously for the rights of his church, and cheerfully encounter reproach for its sake. If Acquisitiveness is large, and Self-esteem small, he will allow himself to be insulted with impunity, but will resist every attack upon his property.
Small.—With Combativeness small, an individual’s character will be mild and peaceable. He will rather submit to oppression than make the requisite exertion to defend his rights. Above every thing else he will desire peace. With Self-esteem small, he will be eminently deficient in presence of mind in times of danger. He will quail under opposition, and with Cautiousness large, will be timid and cowardly. With Destructiveness large, and Benevolence small, he will be harsh and severe where there is no resentment to be feared. With Acquisitiveness large, he will be fond of acquiring by slow accumulations, rather than by bold speculations. With Domestic Feelings large, he will avoid the turbulent scenes of life, and seek refuge in quiet and retirement.
Thisorgan produces the propensity to exterminate and destroy. It incites the murderer to his act of crime. It renders its possessor harsh, cruel, and indifferent to the feelings of others, and is an active element in the minds of all warriors, sportsmen and pugilists.
Predominant.—With Destructiveness predominant, an individual will be harsh, cruel and severe. His language will abound with pungent sarcasms and cutting remarks. With large Combativeness, he will prefer arms as a profession. With Self-esteem and Combativeness both large, he will be distinguished for his energy and force of character. He will drive through his purposes regardless of opposition.
Large.—With Destructiveness large, and Benevolence small, an individual will be cruel, sanguinary and severe. With Secretiveness and Conscientiousness small, and Combativeness and Self-esteem large, he will be exceedingly passionate and vindictive. With such a combination, he will lose no opportunity of assailing the feelings of his opponents. If Amativeness and Adhesiveness are large, he will be attached to his family, yet will treat them often with great severity. If Combativeness and Destructiveness are small, it will require much to excite him, but when aroused, he will be vindictive to the last degree. If Benevolence is large, he will not be sanguinary or cruel; but with Combativeness moderate, will be mild and amiable in disposition, yet capable of great severity when circumstances justify it. This combination enables the surgeon to perform an operation with the requisite energy, and yet without giving unnecessary pain. With Approbativeness small, and Self-esteem, Conscientiousness and Benevolence large, he may be charitable, yet he will often give needless offence in his administrations of charity. He will destroy every thing that is not absolutely valuable.
Moderate.—With Destructiveness moderate, and Benevolence large, one will be tender-hearted, and with small Combativeness, effeminate. With moderate Benevolence, and large Self-esteem and Combativeness, he will possess sufficient severity of character to enable him to succeed in any lawful occupation. He will be naturally peaceful and opposed to harsh measures when they can be avoided, yet will not refrain from using severity when necessary. If Benevolence is large, and Combativeness and Self-esteem moderate, he will lack energy and force of mind; will easily sink under difficulties and submit quietly to aggression and imposition.
Small.—With Destructiveness small, an individual will be effeminate, and with moderate Combativeness, be very destitute of energy and force of character. He will be mild, inoffensive, and peaceable. The performance of an action that requires the infliction of much pain, will be to him nearly impossible. With Acquisitiveness moderate or large, he will have a desire to preserve and lay by every thing that is not absolutely worthless. It will give him pain to see any thing that may possibly be of service destroyed.
Thisorgan gives the desire and the talents for concealment. In its abuse, it renders its possessor averse to, and almost incapable of, an open-hearted expression. His remarks are sly, evasive and ambiguous. His actions, he considers, are beyond the reach of human sagacity. It is the foundation of all hypocrisy, deception and intrigue.
Predominant.—One in whom Secretiveness predominates, will be sly, conniving and hypocritical. It will be difficult for him to relate the simplest incident without evasion. If he has an end to bring about, he will seek to do it by some manœuvre, even when an open course would be more effective. The most trifling actions of his life will be brought about by stratagem. He looks upon others as being actuated by the same motives as himself, and is constantly suspicious and watchful. He will possess great tact, and be readily enabled to discover the motives of others. In conversation, he is apt to hesitate and recommence his sentences, and to answer in an ambiguous manner.
Large.—With Secretiveness, Self-esteem and Conscientiousness large, an individual will detest hypocrisy and duplicity, yet will be exceedingly prudent and circumspect in his conversation and conduct. He will be slow to make acquaintances, and will require a long time ere he becomes intimate with them. With Love of Approbation large, he will be deferential and polite, and will possess a superior tact at making himself agreeable. With Comparison and Individuality large, he will possess a good knowledge of human nature, will be well qualified to detect intrigue, and of frustrating any designs upon himself. If Self-esteem, Firmness and Secretiveness are large, he will endure pain with the most heroic fortitude and forbearance. If Conscientiousness be moderate, he will be very suspicious towards others, and will be perpetually on his guard. If Destructiveness and Self-esteem are large, he will be easily made angry, but with Cautiousness and Firmness large, will restrain his feelings even when highly excited. With Conscientiousness and Cautiousness large, it will be exceedingly difficult for him to form an opinion. With Adhesiveness moderate, and Imitation large, he will be liable to be very friendly to one’s face, and abuse him in his absence. With Self-esteem and Firmness large, will seldom yield to an opponent, but will very often deceive him by appearing to have yielded.
Moderate.—With Secretiveness moderate, and Self-esteem large, one will be frank, candid and open-hearted in his ordinary intercourse with society, yet will be capable, when necessity requires it, of intrigue and duplicity. He will be frank, open and sincere to acquaintances, yet will manifest much reserve to strangers. His ordinary conversation will be discreet, yet, when excited, he will express his sentiments regardless of consequences; this is more particularly true when Cautiousness is small. He will then be distinguished for contrariety of feeling, being prudent and circumspect at one time, and open, blunt and offending at another. Conscientiousness being small, adds much to the strength of Secretiveness. He will then use deception and intrigue whenever they answer his purpose. If Self-esteem, Combativeness and Destructiveness are large, he will be very blunt and decided, when nothing is to be gained by an opposite course, and will express his sentiments without scruple.
Small.—With Secretiveness small, one is frank, candid and open-hearted. He will freely relate even to comparative strangers all his foibles and weaknesses, as well as his virtues and merits. He expresses his hatred and dislikes without fear or favour. Strangers will suppose his anger or displeasure to be greater than it really is. With Destructiveness and Self-esteem large, he will get angry readily, but if Concentrativeness is small, will soon recover his temper. He will be often imposed upon in consequence of his relying too much on others. If Love of Approbation and Benevolence are small, his demeanour will be usually gruff and impolite. He will have great aversion to outside show, will use plain and blunt expressions, and be fond of forcible language.
Thisorgan produces the desire to save, to hoard up and accumulate. It induces its possessor to acquire property without reference to its uses or his own necessities. It produces the instinct of property.
Predominant.—A person in whom this organ predominates, will be miserly, sordid and avaricious. He will look upon the accumulation of property as the great end of human existence. If with a low education, he will not scruple to steal and pilfer.
Large.—With large Acquisitiveness, and small Benevolence, an individual will be selfish, sordid and grasping; but with large Conscientiousness, he will not trespass on the rights of others. With Domestic Feelings small, he will be excessively penurious in regard to his family, and will begrudge every shilling that is expended for their benefit; but if Domestic Feelings are large, he will spend money freely for the comfort of his family, when he would not on his own account. With Love of Approbation and Ideality large, he will spend money freely, in order that he may excel in dress, equipage, &c., while at the same time, he will be excessively penurious in his dealings. With large Veneration, he will look with much respect and awe upon those who are distinguished for their wealth. With Love of Approbation large, he will be anxious to avoid the reputation of littleness in his dealings, and will often give to charitable objects, but will give in such a way as it shall be known. With Firmness, Self-esteem, Hope and Combativeness large, he will be eminently enterprising and persevering. If Caution is small, will be apt to rush into speculations heedlessly and recklessly; but if Caution is large, will be exceedingly prudent and careful in what he undertakes; but when he has come to a conclusion upon a point, he will pursue it with great zeal and energy. If Secretiveness is large, he will have great ability to make a bargain and effect an arrangement where many others would fail. If Cautiousness is large, and Hope and Self-esteem moderate or small, he will be averse to speculations and great enterprises, and prefer slow processes of accumulation. If Firmness is small, he will be apt to be fickle in his undertakings and not pursue them long enough to obtain his ends. If Conscientiousness and Veneration be large, he may be induced to give money to religious purposes. If Ideality and Veneration are large, he will be likely to hoard antiquities, medals, &c. With large Intellect, he will take great pleasure in accumulating a library. If Ideality and Love of Approbation are small, he will care little for the beauty of the binding or the neatness of the type; but with Ideality large, he will spend money freely for these luxuries. With Perceptive organs large, will be a good judge of property, &c.
Moderate.—With moderate Acquisitiveness, Self-esteem and Love of Approbation, a person may be close and economical in his dealings, be shrewd, enterprising and industrious, may make and accumulate money, but he will often spend it unnecessarily. With every desire, as he supposes, to save, yet he will find at the end of the year that he has expended much that he might have saved. If Alimentiveness is large, he will be unable to deny himself the pleasures of the table. If Adhesiveness is large, he will spend money freely for the gratification of his friends. If Benevolence is large, he will give much to objects of charity. He will look upon money as the means of enjoyment, and not as the end of human exertion.
Small.—A person in whom Acquisitiveness is small, will be unable to understand the value of money, or to take pleasure in its acquisition, and unless restrained by the influence of the moral feelings, will be a spendthrift.
Thisorgan imparts the relish for food and drink. Its activity is increased when the person is engaged in eating or drinking.
Predominant.—One in whom this organ is predominant, will be greatly addicted to the pleasures of the table, will eat voraciously, and will consider gustatory enjoyments one of the chief pleasures of existence.
Large.—With Adhesiveness and Love of Approbation large, he will be very fond of public dinners and festive occasions. If to these be added Ideality large, the pleasures of these occasions will be heightened in proportion to the splendour of their appearance. If Acquisitiveness is large, there will be a continued struggle in his mind; the one wishing to save money and the other to indulge in good living: the contest will be decided by the character of his other developements and his worldly circumstances. If Acquisitiveness is small, he will be regardless of the expense of an entertainment, and will gratify his appetite without reference to its cost. With Adhesiveness, Ideality and Approbativeness large, he will take delight in entertaining his friends in a sumptuous manner. With Conscientiousness, Veneration and Benevolence large, he will often reproach himself for his extravagance in matters of the table. With Mirthfulness, Imitation and Secretiveness large, will be excessively fond of telling stories, and in “setting the table in a roar.” With Ideality and Love of Approbation moderate, and Causality and Self-esteem large, will be fond of entertaining company, but will despise ceremony.
Moderate.—With Alimentiveness moderate, a person is fond of a good diet, but does not make it a prominent object of his attention. With Benevolence large, he will cheerfully put up with meaner fare than he is accustomed to when necessity requires it. If Acquisitiveness is large, he will not expend much upon the pleasures of the palate.
Small.—With Alimentiveness small, an individual will be quite regardless of what he eats; will be unable to remember from one day to another what he has eaten, and usually finds it difficult to decide at table what dish to take first. With Destructiveness large, often speaks bitterly of those who indulge in luxurious living. With large Love of Approbation and Ideality, will give entertainments, but think more of the respectability of his company and the splendour of the appearance of his table, than of the quality of the food, &c.