Crooke, Helkiah (1576-1648)

ΜΙΚΡΟΚΟΣΜΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ: A Description of the Body of Man [Mikrokosmographia, Microcosmographia]

London

Printed by William Iaggard

1615

"The eyes are the discouerers of the mind, as the countenance is the Image of the same; by the eyes as by a window, you may looke euen into the secret corners of the Soule: so that it was well sayde of Alexander ... that the eyes are the mirror or Looking-glasse of the Soule."

Galen, to conuince the error of this beastly Epicure saide, Hee would giue him a hundred yeare to alter or change the scituation, figure, or composition of any one part, and hee did not doubt, but it would come to passe in the end, that he would be forced to confesse, that the same could by no meanes haue bin made after any other or more perfect manner. I will speake somewhat more boldly; If all the Angels should haue spent a thousand yeares in the framing & making of man, they could not haue cast him in so curious a mold; or made him like to that he is, much lesse could they haue set him forth in any better maner. Let the Epicure therfore be packing with this false fiction & feigned inuention of his own addle brain. As for Momus, he is to be scorned for his dotage & simplicity, who wished mens bodies had bin made ful of windowes, that the affections of the mind might haue appeared. Why Momus? Do not all the passions of the minde appeare plainly characterized in the face, in the countenance, & in the eyes, so that he which runnes may reade them? The eyes are the discouerers of the mind, as the countenance is the Image of the same; by the eyes as by a window, you may looke euen into the secret corners of the Soule: so that it was well sayde of Alexander, [GREEK], that the eyes are the mirror or Looking-glasse of the Soule. The Eyes wonder at a thing, they loue it, they desire it; they are the bewrayers of loue, anger, rage, mercie, reuenge: in a worde; The eyes are fitted and composed to all the affections of the minde; expressing the very Image thereof in such a manner, as they may seeme to be euen another Soule; & therefore when we kisse the eyes; we seem to reach and diue euen to the verie soule. And for the face, how many signes are there in it, and those very manifest and apparant, of a sorrowing, fearing, couetous, wrathfull and pleasant minde? In the countenance, audaciousnesse, shamefastnesse, and Maiesty are euident and conspicuous. For in the eyebrowes dwelleth pride, in the cheekes shamefastnesse, in the chinne maiesty: all these are bred in the Heart, but heere they haue their seate and residence, hither they betake themselues, heereupon they depend.
(I.iii, pp. 8-9)

Optics::Mirror Architecture::Window Architecture::Room::Corner

Reading in EEBO

Helkiah Crooke, ΜΙΚΡΟΚΟΣΜΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ: A Description of the Body of Man (London: Printed by William Iaggard, 1615). <Link to EEBO>

09/27/2011