But we digress.  N.J.F. was incapable of sound judgment, not because he did not know the facts, but because, instead of reasoning logically to his conclusion, in accordance with the facts, he was entirely governed by his rather erratic feelings.  In other words, he could not reason well from cause to effect; he did not understand people, and so could not sense what would interest them, and his powers of criticism, such as he possessed, were destructive rather than constructive.

Contrary to our advice, N.J.F. persisted in his editorial ambitions and in time managed to persuade the owner of a certain publication to entrust him with its editorial management.  Almost immediately the periodical began to lose subscribers.  Down, down, down went its circulation until it almost reached the vanishing point.  Finally, it expired.  The trouble was not that its pages contained anything bad, harmful or illiterate, but simply that there was page after page of dry, discursive, uninteresting, valueless material.  It was a pity, because, under a competent editor, the periodical in question had occupied an important and useful place in the current literature of the period, and also because, as a dealer in coal, lumber, lime, and building materials, N.J.  F. would have been a useful and successful member of the community.

[Illustration:  FIG. 33.  John Masefield, Poet.  Idealistic, sentimental, dreamy, impractical, but intensely responsive to beauty, rhythm and imagery.  Has creative power.  Note high, straight forehead, very high head, fine texture, finely chiseled features, and dreamy, mystic expression.]

[Illustration:  FIG. 34.  Edward DeReszke, Opera Singer.  Great artistic and musical talent, with capacity for sentiment and emotion.  Note width of brows; dome of head over temples; fulness of eyes, curves of nose, cheeks and lips, Also large physical frame, especially chest and abdomen.]

[Illustration:  Copyright by A. Dupont, N.Y. FIG. 35.  Puccini.  Composer.  Has artistic talent and creative ability together with, energy, ambition, persistence, courage, determination.  Rather mild in disposition.  Not a particularly good business man.  More interested in music than in money.  Note width of forehead at eyes and at upper corners and its narrowness between; high nose; brunette color; square, strong jaw and chin; straight, firm mouth, and calm, determined expression.]

[Illustration:  FIG. 36.  John S. Sargent, R.A., Portrait Painter.  Keen powers of observation, high ambition, great energy, fine discrimination, excellent powers of expression, and social qualities.  Note unusual development of brows, height of head; fulness of forehead at center; fulness of eyes, large, high nose, and fulness of backhead.]

[Illustration:  Photo by American Press Association. FIG. 37.  Pietro Mascagni.  Composer.  Musical, emotional sensuous, impulsive, spasmodically energetic.  Note width of forehead at brows, full lips, dimpled chin, heavy cheeks, thick-lidded eyes, large nose, and intense, ardent expression.]