Personal Identification and Description ²

Abstract

I. IT is strange that we should not have acquired more power of describing form and personal features than we actually possess. For my own part I have frequently chafed under the sense of inability to verbally explain hereditary resemblances and types of features, and to describe irregular outlines of many different kinds, which I will not now particularize. At last I tried to relieve myself as far as might be from this embarrasment, and took considerable trouble, and made many experiments. The net result is that while there appear to be many ways of approximately effecting what is wanted, it is difficult as yet to select the best of them with enough assurance to justify a plunge into a rather serious undertaking. According to the French proverb, the better has thus far proved an enemy to the passably good, so I cannot go much into detail at present, but will chiefly dwell on general principles.