Physiognomy

Physiognomy (literally "knowledge of nature") is the practice of judging from the features the character of a man. Aristotle discovered animal likenesses in men, and concluded that men might resemble in character the animal they resembled in feature. Delia Porta followed out the same idea in 1586, and it was more largely developed by Le Brun in the 17th century. Lavater endeavoured, with indifferent success, to make it into a science.