of Love which he finds there, might certainly be removed to another situation; and in some cases, I should be looking for the organ of Thieving in the HAND. The hand I take to be so very powerful in discovering what passes in the mind, that I have had some thoughts of projecting a new system, like that of Lavater, from the hand only. The late Dr. Geddes, we are told, meditated the same design with the NOSE. The Doctor was probably induced to lay hold of a feature which is in all conspicuous, and hid in none. But he was persuaded to give up his scheme, after many experiments on his friends' noses. I do not think so slightingly of the HAND, because Chiromancy has already been applied to foretel future events by that part of the body; and surely it is full as easy to discover present circumstances as future events. In many of the common affairs of life we acknowledge the importance of the hand. Not to speak of a set of depredators who are known by the name of light-fingered, we have all heard of the importance of a good hand at cards, in which, I am assured, the head has very little concern; and I may appeal to my female readers whether they have not sometimes heard of a gentleman giving his hand to a lady in marriage, without any connection with his heart. I humbly conceive, therefore, that my system stands as good a chance of success as Dr. GALL's, unless he chooses to incorporate them into one, and after he has amused his countrymen with looking at their heads, endeavour to persuade them that they have as much understanding in their hands and feet. THE PROJECTOR. N° 59. "Of all the causes which conspire to blind July 1806. PRIDE is one of the most general causes of complaint, and might therefore be thought one of the most unpopular of our failings, if it were not at the same time confessed that many who complain of it are not without strong suspicions of possessing a greater share than they are willing to allow. It delights to disguise itself; and the number of its disguises is so considerable, as to impose on some persons who would be thought extremely clear-sighted in other matters. The author, from whom my motto is taken, speaks of Pride with a sarcastic severity which some will think very rude. That it is "the never-failing vice of fools," or incident to persons of "weak heads," are positions which will certainly be rejected by many whom the world thinks neither weak nor foolish; but whether a man of contemplation, at a distance from the partialities which influence mankind in their opinions, may not be inclined to agree with Mr. Pope, is a question which I shall leave to the determination of my readers. Pride must be allowed to be one of the most perplexing qualities of the mind; for whoever observes the conduct of a proud man with attention, may discover that he is perpetually struggling with something which opposes him, or swelling with something which he endeavours to keep down. As Pride has rather a bad character, he endeavours to conceal it; (for who would be thought proud?) and this appears like a compromise with the opinions of the world; but, on the other hand, he finds it impossible to be proud without displaying it, and he displays it for the sole purpose of gra tifying himself. No situation can surely be more puzzling. To conceal, and at the same time to discover, is one of the happiest arts that has been found out since the invention of two extremes and a middle. Yet how difficult must this art be, when we observe (which we may do every day of our lives) that all efforts to conceal Pride only tend to make it more conspicuous. It is in vain to hide, when we have no coverings but what are transparent, and fix the eye more closely upon what might have otherwise escaped our notice. Pride is said to be the origin of Anger; by which, I presume, is meant a certain species of anger; but even this is a very great inconvenience, for anger may be opposed to anger, and a man who is proud at the rate of 10007. a year may be out-raged by one of 2001. It would certainly be wiser, therefore, to employ the higher kinds of silent contempt, accompanied by certain out-stretchings of the neck, tossings of the head, and other gestures, which are generally thought becoming, in proportion to the estate of the party. Wealth is the most general cause of Pride. It can be the lot of very few to value themselves on holding offices of state, or on being distinguished for genius, or some extraordinary endowments of mind; but the extensive diffusion of riches, in a commercial and prosperous country like ours, affords a vast number the opportunity, if they choose to embrace it, of raising their Pride to the standard of their income. There are some, indeed, who consider riches as the worst possible foundation for Pride; and think that a man who has no other reason to be proud, ought to content himself with the smallest possible attempts to "smile contempt" on the "little folks" beneath him. But with such opinions it is not my intention to enter the lists. I shall rather take for granted, that as riches are pronounced, by the voice of the majority, to form the only distinction between man and man, so they are the only legitimate pretence which any man can have for being proud. This being granted, I hope it will not be thought improper, if I suggest that, of late years, very great confusion has been introduced into the proud world, for want of a due attention to certain circumstances of considerable weight in this matter. It is not enough to say that a rich man has a right to be proud; such vague propositions are always liable to abuse; we ought to consider that rich and poor are relative terms; and that, |