the uplifting of the eyes or the joining of the open hands, under the
influence of devotional feelings, are innate or truly expressive
actions; and this could hardly have been expected, for it is very
doubtful whether feelings, such as we should now rank as devotional,
affected the hearts of men, whilst they remained during past ages in an
uncivilized condition.
CHAPTER IX. REFLECTION MEDITATION-ILL-TEMPER SULKINESS DETERMINATION.
The act of frowning Reflection with an effort, or with the perception
of something difficult or disagreeable Abstracted
meditation Ill-temper Moroseness Obstinacy Sulkiness and
pouting Decision or determination The firm closure of the mouth.
The corrugators, by their contraction, lower the eyebrows and bring
them together, producing vertical furrows on the forehead that is, a
frown. Sir C. Bell, who erroneously thought that the corrugator was
peculiar to man, ranks it as the most remarkable muscle of the human
face. It knits the eyebrows with an energetic effort, which
unaccountably, but irresistibly, conveys the idea of mind. Or, as he
elsewhere says, when the eyebrows are knit, energy of mind is
apparent, and there is the mingling of thought and emotion with the
savage and brutal rage of the mere animal. [901] There is much truth in
these remarks, but hardly the whole truth. Dr. Duchenne has called the
corrugator the muscle of reflection;[902] but this name, without some
limitation, cannot be considered as quite correct.
A man may be absorbed in the deepest thought, and his brow will remain
smooth until he encounters some obstacle in his train of reasoning, or
is interrupted by some disturbance, and then a frown passes like a
shadow over his brow. A half-starved man may think intently how to
obtain food, but he probably will not frown unless he encounters either
in thought or action some difficulty, or finds the food when obtained
nauseous. I have noticed that almost everyone instantly frowns if he
perceives a strange or bad taste in what he is eating. I asked several
persons, without explaining my object, to listen intently to a very
gentle tapping sound, the nature and source of which they all perfectly
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