Erōtomania or A treatise discoursing of the essence, causes, symptomes, prognosticks, and cure of love, or erotique melancholy. Written by Iames Ferrand Dr. of Physick

CHAP. XXII. Whether, or no, by Physiognomy, and Chi∣romanyc, a man may know one to be Jnclined to Love.

GAlen, relying upon the Authority of * 1.1 Hippocrates, affirmes, that those men that take upon them to professe the Art of Physicke, without the perfect know∣ledge of Physiognomy, are as it were in

perpetuall darknesse, and commit many grosse Absurdities & Errors: For as much as Physiognomy is a part of Semioticall Medicine, which the Naturalists divided into Metoposcopy, Chiromancy, and Par∣ticular Physiognomy. Now of all these kinds, the first is the most certaine, be∣cause that the Face is, as it were, the E∣pitome, Index, and picture of the soule, representing by its diverse Characters and extract of all the Titles of its Noblenesse: And is therefore placed in the Frontispice of this Fabricke of our body, to the end it may be knowne, that there she keeps her Court, and chiefest Residence. Animi est omnis actio: & Imago Animi vultus est. The Soule is the Original cause and Prin∣ciple of all our motions and actions: and the Face is the Image of the soule. Indices * 1.2 oculi, saith Tully, quos Natura dedit, ut Equo, & Leoni set as, caudam, Aures, ad motus declarandos. And therefore Alexan∣ander Aphrodisaeus calls the eyes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the looking-glasses of the soule. It seemes, saith Plotinus, that whatsoever is Faire and Beautifull, is al∣so Good; for both these the Greeks ex∣presse

by one and the same name, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: as if, saith he, the externall beauty of the Body, depended on the Internall Forme. And therefore the Ancient Greeks, con∣sidering this, accounted only those men that were of a Beautifull and comely A∣spect, to be worthy of the Crowne and Scepter.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

And they prove this their opinion by the Examples of Priamus, Achilles, Saul, Cyrus, Darius, Alexander, Augustus, Hecuba, Andromache, Esther, and many others, in whom the Beauty and Perfecti∣on of the Soule, was attended on by that also of the Body: because that the beauty of the Body depends on the goodnesse of the Constitution and Temperature, ac∣cording to Galen. Now it is agreed on, on * 1.3 all sides in our Schooles, that a good and commendable complexion, is of times the cause of the Laudable Actions of the Bo∣dy; and consequently of those also of the Mind. Multaenim in Corpore existunt, quae acuant mentem: multa quae obtundant.

Saith Tully Tuscul. 1. There are many things in the Body that conduce much to the sharpening of the Mind and under∣standing: and there be also many things that dull it. And therefore Hippocrates in his Epidemicks lib. 6. Sect. 5. is of opi∣nion, that it imports much to Wise∣dome, to be Leane: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. For those that are over-fat, * 1.4 saies Galen, have their soule as it were buried in a heape of durt; and therefore such men are commonly heavy, and dull as a brute beast. Homer also speaking of Thersites, that notorious Buffoon, whom Achilles slew with a boxe on the eare, de∣scribes him to be ill-favoured, of a ridicu∣lous dwarfe-like stature, with a sharpe litle head, (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) intimating unto us, that such men are generally Mischievous, En∣vious, Impudent, and vaine-glorious fel∣lowes. So Salust also notes Catiline for his Deformity, and Basenesse of Conditi∣ons: and the ill-favoured lookes of Iuli∣an the Apostate, was an Evident Argu∣ment of his Accursed Life.

On the contrary, we see commonly * 1.5 that, as Hippocrates observes, those that

drawle out their words, and stammer in their speech; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, are of a good Nature. And agen, those that have little, dry, hollow eyes, with a long, thin wrinkled visage, are lewd, crafty, slaun∣derous, * 1.6 envious, covetous, treacherous, sacrilegious rascally fellowes: Especially, if they are wont to looke very stedfastly on any thing, and use to bite their lips when they are thinking of their businesse: But above all, if they have but little beard.

Poco barba, & men Colore: Sotto'l ciel non è peggiore. Saies the Italian;

He that has but litle beard on his face, and lesse colour; there cannot possibly bee found a worse complexion then his. And such a one is that Villaine Melitus Pithe∣us, the false accuser of Socrates, described to be in Plato. * 1.7

Yet notwithstanding all that I have said, I would not have any man presently conclude from these signes, on any mans complexion, as if they were alwaies ne∣cessarily

true For Alcibiades, who was the most beautiful & comeliest young mā in his time, was notwithstanding a very vitious and envious person. And on the contrary the wise Socrates, notwithstan∣ding that he had a very ill favoured coun∣tenance, and was also bald-headed, hairy all over his body, and flat-nosed; yet was he pronounced by the Oracle of Apollo, to be the Patterne of Fortitude, Prudence and Temperance; notwithstanding that he was often sought unto, and tempted by women: as Tully reports it of him, in his booke De Fato. Cùm Socrates videret ux∣ores in se jurgantes, & ille eas deridebat; quòd propter se, foedissimum hominem, simis narribus, recalvà fronte, pilosis humeris re∣pandis cruribus, discreparent. Not but that he was Naturally inclined to Lust; as Zo∣pyrus, that famous Physiognomist judged of him, and as himselfe ingenuously con∣sessed: but that by Morall Philosophy he had corrected the bad Inclinations of his owne nature.

Now all Physiognomy is grounded, as * 1.8 Aristotle saies, on the Sympathy that is betwixt the Body and the Mind. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

The Habit of the mind being altered, causeth an altera∣tion also in the Body: and so the contra∣ry. For, as the same Authour elsewhere concludes, if the manners of the mind did not all depend on the Temperature of the Body; in vaine should the Physitian attempt, with all his Medicines and Helleborismes, the cure of those that are sicke of Love, or any the like Passions. Not that I would have you thinke, that these Physiognomicall signes doe alwaies necessarily discover the Passions and Af∣fections of the mind, but only for the most part, and Probably.

Besides, all Physiognomists affirme, that we ought not peremptorily to conclude any thing, from the disposition or Tem∣perature of any one part alone: but wee must compare diverse signes together, & so give judgement accordingly: yet still with this Proviso, that we extend not the Iurisdiction of this Science any farther, then to those Passions that are Naturall to Men, as Anger, Lust, &c. and not to such

things as are of Free Election, as to be an Astrologer, Physitian, Lawyer, or the like.

We conclude then, that a man may know by Physiognomy, not onely those that are actually possest with this Malady of Love, or Erotique Melancholy; but also those that are Inclined, or subject unto it. For if I see a man that is Hot, Hairy, high-coloured, with a black thick curled head of haire, great veines, & a big voice: I dare be bold to say, that that man hath a hot and dry Liver, and his Generative parts are also of the same Temper; & that * 1.9 consequently he is inclined to lustfull de∣sires: But I shall be bold to affirme it more confidently, if he be also Bald withall, as was Socrates, Galba, Ʋitellius, Otho, Do∣mitian, and Iulius Caesar; (of whom it was once spoken thus by one at Rome. Vrbani, servate uxores; nam Moechum calvum adducimus: Citizens, looke well to your Wiues; for we have brought with * 1.10 us a Bald Whoremaster.) Or else, if hee have litle Eares, a great Nose, thick weak thighes, over-hanging Eye-browes, or is flat-nosed; as Socrates was. Valescus de Tarenta, the most famous Physitian of his

Age, observes the chapping of the Lips in Women to be a signe of their Inclination to this Malady: for that it denotes the In∣temperate Heat of the Matrix, Quae appe∣tit (to use his own words) semen, tanquam * 1.11 Terra rorem. And Levinus Lemnius af∣firmes the same of those persons that are Lame, and Cripples: which is the Opini∣on also of Athenaeus, and Theocritus his Scholiast, who affirmes this to be the rea∣son, which moved the Amazons to make their Children Cripples: Notwithstan∣ding * 1.12 Hippocrates, an Author of greater credit then either of these, gives us other more probable reasons for it.

Aristotle in his Lib. 2. de Gener. Ani∣mal. cap. 7. will have the Eyes also to bee very considerable in these Predictions: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: because, saith he, the Eye is the most Spermaticall part about the Head. And indeed the Wiseman knew an Adulterous Woman by her eyes better, and with more assurance, then any man can by the Hand: which cannot, as Averroës faith, denote the Disposition of * 1.13 the Body more particularly, then any o∣ther

of the Members, and consequently neither our Affections nor Passions, any o∣therwise then by the beating of the Arte∣ries in the Wrist; or else perhaps by the figure of the Hand: according to which, some wil undertake to guesse at the Tem∣perature of the Liver: Among which is Avicen, and Rhasis, who by the greatnesse of the Fingers, pretend to give a guesse at * 1.14 that of the Liver, and endeavour to con∣firme this their conjecture both by rea∣sons, and Experience. For the Veines, be∣ing derived from the Liver, as from their Principium Radicationis & Dispensatio∣nis; (for as Hippocrates lib. de Alimen. af∣firmes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The Liver is the Root, from whence all the Veines doe spring:) and being united, and meeting together in the Hand; they are the cause of that Mutuall and Reciprocall sympa∣thy that there is betwixt these two parts. And so by consequent, the Temperature of the Liver will appeare more evidently in the Hand, then in many other of the parts of the Body. Besides, the greatnesse * 1.15 of the Fingers is an Argument of the grea∣ter Quantity of Matter, which is commu∣nicated

by the Liver to the extreame parts of the Body, and also of the greatnesse of the Liver it selfe. Now those that have a great Liver, are for the most part given to Gluttony; and Gluttons, we know are generally addicted to Venery and Lasci∣viousnesse.

But this Art of Chiromancy, hath been * 1.16 so strangely infected with Superstition, Deceit, Cheating, and (if I durst say so) with Magick also; that the Canonists, and of late yeares, Pope Sixtus Quintus, have beene constrained utterly to condemne it. So that now, no man professeth publikely this Cheating Art, but Theeues, Rogues, and beggerly Rascals; which are now e∣very where knowne by the name of Bo∣hemians, Egyptians, and Caramaras; and first came into these parts of Europe, about the yeare 1417 as G. Dupreau, Albertus * 1.17 Krantz, and Polydor Ʋirgil report.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lib. de cub. aegror.
• * 1.2

  Lib. 3. de orat.
• * 1.3

  Lib. 1. de San. tuend.
• * 1.4

  Exhort. ad Bon disc. Lib. 1. de san. tuend. L. 4. de Plac.
• * 1.5

  Epidem. l. 2. sect. 5. 1.
• * 1.6

  Aristot. Polem. Porta.
• * 1.7

  In Eutyph.
• * 1.8

  Physiog c. 1. & 4.
• * 1.9

  Gal. in Mi∣crot. Arist. 3. de gen. c. 1. & Probl. 2. sect. 4. & 26. Sect. 10. Sueton.
• * 1.10

  Arist. c. 6. Physiogn. Probl. 19. sect 4. Cap. ult. l. 2. meth. Med.
• * 1.11

  Lib. 2. de occult. Nat Mir. c. 26.
• * 1.12

  Lib. de Ar∣tic.
• * 1.13

  Lib. 2. col. c. 4. & 6.
• * 1.14

  Fen. 2. l. 1. doct. 3. c. 1. & Fen. 14 l. 3. tr. 1.
• * 1.15

  Th a Vega cap. 8. Art. Med.
• * 1.16

  C. illud. 26 q. 2. Tol. Sacerd. in∣str. c. 15. l. 4
• * 1.17

  Krant. l. 11 P. Virg. l 7. de invent, re••.