FACES THAT LIE

Evening Star, Issue 22085, 19 July 1935, Page 8

FACES THAT LIE

GAN A MAN BE JUDGED BY HIS FEATURES ? NERO'S GUILELESS EXPRESSION A mau. blind from the age of two, has just liad his sight restored. He is terribly disappointed by faces, and lie says: “1 imagined that all faces were peaceful.” This expectation is not surprising. Ho had spent 18 years in darkness and a world of his own; his experience had serious limitations. Daring his sightless life he drew deeply on his imagination; ho made mental pictures of the human face. Sight gave him joy, but not unmixed. What he saw disappointed him. People did not look as he had imagined them. With the blessing of sight he will steadily amplify and modify his first impressions. A larger life will force hini to do so. He will learn what those blessed with normal sight have discovered long ago—that seven out of every 10 human faces are poor indicators of their owners’ full and real peisonalities. A student of human nature can obtain a far more accurate first estimation of a person’s character from a conversation lasting 15 minutes than from close study of a face for half an hour. CONFOUNDING BELIEFS. Nature seems to delight in confounding cherished beliefs concerning face and character. Fact forces us to acknowledge that beauty of face is by no means an infallible proof of "noble character. We are also aware that a painfully “ plain face ” frequently hides beauty of character and disposition. This striking problem affecting face value and character is well illustrated by a glance through police gazettes containing the photographs of convicted persons. You will find there men with faces which would be assets to any ecclesiastical dignitary. Looking below at the printed description and record, you will find that the owner of that saintly .profile or venerable full-face has served many sentences for crimes of violence.

How does tho confidence trickster prey on his fellow-creatures? Obviously his stock is an outward and visible ap pearance of trustworthiness and magnanimity. He is brimming over with tho infection of good will; he wants to “ let his fellow-men in on a good thing.” His eyes express blanduess and honesty; his subtle mind meanwhile works his victim’s undoing. No man with an obviously furtive look could got far in the confidence business. IJppyfaced women have been known to hide behind a guileless exterior an utterly worthless character. History teems with characters whose faces proved to be misleading, indicators of the human worth behind them. It is the fashion of admirers or Napoleon to keep the familiar little bust of their hero somewhere about the house. In popular imagination the features of the “Little Corporal” have never been equalled as a type embodying all that is strong and purposeful in human character. Napoleon looked the part; in. many respects he played the part; but the considered verdict of history shows that in many important respects Napoleon was weak. Recent publication of bis love letters shows that whereas ho could inspire an army uf men by his dignity, he abased himself in an undignified fashion when confronted by tho growing indifference of a woman. The first principle of a strong character is self-conquest. A close study of the Roman Emperors shows that the most benevolent-looking were the most ’cruel. Nero’s expression often had tho guilelessuess of a babe; Julius Csesar rarely appeared to be anything but a ruthless conqueror. Nero was a fiend; Julius was a benefactor. HITLER AND MUSSOLINI. Mussolini conforms to the traditional conception of strength. He looks the part of a strong dictator. Hitler, removed from staged State ceremonials, would easily pass as a clerk. Most of us are used to envisaging St. Paul as a man of powerful presence, a man with a face which looked challengingly at the world and swore, to reform it. From all the best authenticated records we learn that Paul was a rather undersized little man, with red hair and weak eyes. Yet this man gave tremendous impetus to tho teachings which have endured for nearly 2,000 years, teachings which have had sweeping and radical effects upon civilised society. The late Lord Birkenhead looked wonderfully dignified in his Chancellor's robes; he had a fine presence. But the man hated the onus of dignity, and confessed as much on more than one occasion. By nature he was unconventional. THE KINDLY BARRIE.

Caught in some Sir James Barrie gives the impression of being a shrewd, hard-bitten man of business. The World knows him to be a delightfully human and kindly soul. Lord Snowden will go down to history as the “Iron Chancellor.” He looks unbending and a little cynical. To many he appears bitter; the tightly-closed lips and the thin, hard mouth all seem to erv “ Decision ... No quarter

to the enemy.” Personally he is exceptionally kind in supporting all manner of deserving causes. He is most accessible, and ho gives ready ear to all deserving calls for his services and help. He hides a kindly heart behind a most reserved and critical exterior. A well-remembered instance of massdeception is the late Horatio Bottomley. Bottomley looked the part of a champion. People trusted him, holding that the rugged features .were a sort of hallmark of British integrity. But Bottomley was weak, and the popular idol fell. It is unsafe to rely on many of the generalisations to which we have grown accustomed. A receding chin is popularly supposed to indicate lack of decision, weakness of judgment, and so on. Cartoonists made great capital out of the German CroWn Prince’s chin. Those who know say that ho has great strength of character.