The text discusses the attribution of shamelessness and boldness to the forehead, suggesting that a person's demeanor and expressions can be seen in the disposition of their forehead and eyebrows. It uses the metaphor of the sky to explain how the forehead can reflect emotional changes, similar to how the sky changes with weather. Moreover, it suggests that people often suppress their natural emotions while maintaining the outward appearance associated with the forehead.
Forehead and Its Role
Why the Boldness of the Face is Attributed to the Forehead.
It is remarkable that shamelessness and boldness are attributed to the forehead. Thus we say that someone has a hard forehead, a bold forehead, when we mean that someone can endure and listen to everything without flinching, which should make them blush and be convinced. As seen in Ezekiel Chapter 3, verse 8. This possibly comes from the idea that the eyebrows are so closely united with the forehead; they cannot help but stand in bold and undaunted action or suffering, as if being helped by a certain kind of daring courage, and adding as much as is necessary to maintain such unashamed boldness; while the eyebrows, on the contrary, in a blushing fall; however, they act quite desolately. Which impression if that is assigned to the forehead because it is the main part of the appearance. The forehead has been compared by some to the sky; because, just like those sometimes gloomy clouds, thunder, and lightning, and sometimes again sunshine and beautiful weather are seen; The forehead also occasionally shows the disposition of the mind, being plowed with furrows and wrinkles, and then often loaded again and becomes smooth. And likewise, people are found who would deceive by suppressing the natural impulses of emotions, and the signs that usually come inseparably from the Source-Vein of Passions in the Facial Appearance...
Translation Notes
- "Stoutheyd" has been translated as 'boldness' but could also be 'bravery' depending on the context.
- "Voor-Hoofd" translates directly as 'forehead'.
- "Geest" here is understood as 'mind' or 'spirit'.