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第38章

the expression of emotion in man and animals-第38章

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ged; they no longer wish for action; but remain motionless and passive; or may occasionally rock themselves to and fro。 The circulation becomes languid; the face pale; the muscles flaccid; the eyelids droop; the head hangs on the contracted chest; the lips; checks; and lower jaw all sink downwards from their own weight。  Hence all the features are lengthened; and the face of a person who hears bad news is said to fall。 A party of natives in Tierra del Fuego endeavoured to explain to us that their friend; the captain of a sealing vessel; was out of spirits; by pulling down their cheeks with both hands; so as to make their faces as long as possible。 Mr。 Bunnet informs me that the Australian aborigines when out of spirits have a chop…fallen appearance。  After prolonged suffering the eyes become dull and lack expression; and are often slightly suffused with tears。  The eyebrows not rarely are rendered oblique; which is due to their inner ends being raised。 This produces peculiarly…formed wrinkles on the forehead; which are very different from those of a simple frown; though in some cases a frown alone may be present。 The corners of the mouth are drawn downwards; which is so universally recognized as a sign of being out of spirits; that it is almost proverbial。

The breathing becomes slow and feeble; and is often interrupted by deep sighs。  As Gratiolet remarks; whenever our attention is long concentrated on any subject; we forget to breathe; and then relieve ourselves by a deep inspiration; but the sighs of a sorrowful person; owing to his slow respiration and languid circulation; are eminently characteristic。'1' As the grief of a person in this state occasionally recurs and increases into a paroxysm; spasms affect the respiratory muscles; and he feels as if something; the so…called _globus hystericus_; was rising in his throat。 These spasmodic movements are clearly allied to the sobbing of children; and are remnants of those severer spasms which occur when a person is said to choke from excessive grief。'2'


'1' The above descriptive remarks are taken in part from my own observations; but chiefly from Gratiolet (‘De la Physionomie;' pp。  53; 337; on Sighing; 232); who has well treated this whole subject。  See; also; Huschke。  ‘Mimices et Physiognomices; Fragmentum Physiologicitim;' 1821; p。  21。  On the dulness of the eyes; Dr。 Piderit; ‘Mimik und Physiognomik;' 1867; s。  65。

'2' On the action of grief on the organs of respiration;

_Obliquity of the eyebrows_。Two points alone in the above description require further elucidation; and these are very curious ones; namely; the raising of the inner ends of the eyebrows; and the drawing down of the corners of the mouth。 With respect to the eyebrows; they may occasionally be seen to assume an oblique position in persons suffering from deep dejection or anxiety; for instance; I have observed this movement in a mother whilst speaking about her sick son; and it is sometimes excited by quite trifling or momentary causes of real or pretended distress。  The eyebrows assume this position owing to the contraction of certain muscles (namely; the orbiculars; corrugators; and pyramidals of the nose; which together tend to lower and contract the eyebrows) being partially checked by the more powerful action of the central fascim of the frontal muscle。  These latter fasciae by their contraction raise the inner ends alone of the eyebrows; and as the corrugators at the same time draw the eyebrows together; their inner ends become puckered into a fold or lump。 This fold is a highly characteristic point in the appearance of the eyebrows when rendered oblique; as may be seen in figs。 2 and 5; Plate II。  The eyebrows are at the same time somewhat roughened; owing to the hairs being made to project。 Dr。 J。 Crichton Browne has also often noticed in melancholic patients who keep their eyebrows persistently oblique; 〃a peculiar acute arching of the upper eyelid。〃 A trace of this may be observed by comparing the right and left eyelids of the young man in the photograph (fig。 2; Plate II。); for he was not able to act equally on both eyebrows。  This is also shown by the unequal furrows on the two sides of his forehead。 The acute arching of the eyelids



see more especially Sir C。 Bell; ‘Anatomy of Expression;' 3rd edit。 1844; p。  151。  depends; I believe; on the inner end alone of the eyebrows being raised; for when the whole eyebrow is elevated and arched; the upper eyelid follows in a slight degree the same movement。

But the most conspicuous result of the opposed contraction of the above…named muscles; is exhibited by the peculiar furrows formed on the forehead。 These muscles; when thus in conjoint yet opposed action; may be called; for the sake of brevity; the grief…muscles。 When a person elevates his eyebrows by the contraction of the whole frontal muscle; transverse wrinkles extend across the whole breadth of the forehead; but in the present case the middle fasciae alone are contracted; consequently; transverse furrows are formed across the middle part alone of the forehead。  The skin over the exterior parts of both eyebrows is at the same time drawn downwards and smooth; by the contraction of the outer portions of the orbicular muscles。 The eyebrows are likewise brought together through the simultaneous contraction of the corrugators;'3' and this latter action generates vertical furrows; separating the exterior and lowered part of the skin of the forehead from the central and raised part。  The union of these vertical furrows with the central and transverse furrows (see figs。 2 and 3) produces a mark on the forehead which has been compared to a horse…shoe; but the furrows more strictly form three sides of a quadrangle。  They are often conspicuous on the foreheads of adult or nearly adult persons; when their eyebrows are made oblique; but with young children; owing to their skin not easily wrinkling; they are rarely seen; or mere traces of them can be detected。

These peculiar furrows are best represented in fig。  3; Plate II。; on the forehead of a young lady who has the power in an unusual degree of voluntarily acting on the requisite muscles。 As she was absorbed in the attempt; whilst being photographed; her expression was not at all one of grief; I have therefore given the forehead alone。  Fig。  1 on the same plate; copied from Dr。 Duchenne's work 4 represents; on a reduced scale; the face; in its natural state; of a young man who was a good actor。 In fig。  2 he is shown simulating grief; but the



'3' In the foregoing remarks on the manner in which the eyebrows are made oblique; I have followed what seems to be the universal opinion of all the anatomists; whose works I have consulted on the action of the above…named muscles; or with whom I have conversed。 Hence throughout this work I shall take a similar view of the action of the _corrugator supercilii_; _orbicularis; pyramidalis nasi_; and _frontalis_ muscles。  Dr。 Duchenne; however; believes; and every conclusion at which he arrives deserves serious consideration; that it is the corrugator; called by him the _sourcilier_; which raises the inner corner of the eyebrows and is antagonistic to the upper and inner part of the orbicular muscle; as well as to the _pyramidalis nasi_ (see Mecanisme de la Phys。  Humaine; 1862; folio; art。 v。; text and figures 19 to 29:  octavo edit。  1862; p。  43 text)。 He admits; however; that the corrugator draws together the eyebrows; causing vertical furrows above the base of the nose; or a frown。 He further believes that towards the outer two…thirds of the eyebrow the corrugator acts in conjunction with the upper orbicular muscle; both here standing in antagonism to the frontal muscle。 I am unable to understand; judging from Henle's drawings (woodcut; fig。 3); how the corrugator can act in the manner described by Duchenue。  See; also; oil this subject; Prof。 Donders' remarks in the ‘Archives of Medicine;' 1870; vol。  v。  p。  34。  Mr。 J。 Wood; who is so well known for his careful study of the muscles of the human frame; informs me that he believes the account which I have given of the action of the corrugator to be correct。 But this is not a point of any importance with respect to the expression which is cau

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