Word: phrenologist
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...peculiarities of gait among pedlers. It is an easy matter to discover a new hand at the business. He walks along rather undecidedly, stops to scan the name on the door, and then knocks, with something of deference in the sound. Far different is the hardened book-agent or phrenologist; he gives an extremely frank and unembarrassed thump, and comes in without waiting for an answer. Between these two extremes there are many who partake more or less of one or the other, and to distinguish between them is a more intricate study than one might imagine...
...interest in the power of reading character by external indications which an itinerant phrenologist has recently excited at Harvard induces me to make public some speculations of my own in regard to an entirely new manner of reaching the same end. The title at the head of this article will indicate the general nature of my system. The phrenologist founds his opinions upon the physical development of the head, the knemidologist upon the sartorial decoration of the leg. I consider my word justifiable, for the modern trouser is as nearly related to the antique greave as is the Greek diaphragm...
...sure that the value of knemidology will be apparent. It may be objected, however, that it cannot be applied to the female sex. This is at present true, but do not the modes of hair-dressing that have been in vogue since time immemorial equally prevent the phrenologist from satisfactorily studying his subject...
...this is to me a strong argument in favor of the proposed innovations in female attire. But, even supposing the fashions to remain as they are, I hold that I can support my pretensions to reading character in general fully as well as the average phrenologist; and, as neither his science nor mine satisfactorily solve the problems which may arise concerning women, I should venture to suggest that they might be profitably made the object of podological investigation...