Genre:

News-Commentary, Drollery

Subjects:

Crime, Physiognomy

    Discusses an apparently confusing report of a man accused of murder which stresses that the accused appeared to be 'dogged and indifferent' but that his appearance did not suggest 'an absence of a low order of intellectual faculty'. Insists that the appearance of somebody with a 'dogged' demeanour does not indicate low intellectual ability, but on the contrary suggests high intellectual ability. Argues that the report should have stated that despite having a 'dogged' demeanour, the appearance of the accused 'did not betoken an absolute idiot'. Concludes by suggesting that if the 'physiognomist' quoted meant to argue that such criminal features as 'thick neck' and 'peculiarly hanging beetle brows' were signs of intelligence then he should 're-edit Lavater'.