sweet, from being habitually drawn into a smile, and the eyes are
bright and cheerful. So it will be if the eye is clear and steady, and
there is the appearance of earnest reflection. Frowning, with some
depression of the corners of the mouth, which is a sign of grief, gives
an air of peevishness. If a child (see Plate IV., fig. 2)[908] frowns
much whilst crying, but does not strongly contract in the usual manner
the orbicular muscles, a well-marked expression of anger or even of
rage, together with misery, is displayed.
Ill-temper. Plate IV
If the whole frowning brow be drawn much downward by the contraction of
the pyramidal muscles of the nose, which produces transverse wrinkles
or folds across the base of the nose, the expression becomes one of
moroseness. Duchenne believes that the contraction of this muscle,
without any frowning, gives the appearance of extreme and aggressive
hardness.[909] But I much doubt whether this is a true or natural
expression. I have shown Duchenne s photograph of a young man, with
this muscle strongly contracted by means of galvanism, to eleven
persons, including some artists, and none of them could form an idea
what was intended, except one, a girl, who answered correctly, surely
reserve. When I first looked at this photograph, knowing what was
intended, my imagination added, as I believe, what was necessary,
namely, a frowning brow; and consequently the expression appeared to me
true and extremely morose.
A firmly closed mouth, in addition to a lowered and frowning brow,
gives determination to the expression, or may make it obstinate and
sullen. How it comes that the firm closure of the mouth gives the
appearance of determination will presently be discussed. An expression
of sullen obstinacy has been clearly recognized by my informants, in
the natives of six different regions of Australia. It is well marked,
according to Mr. Scott, with the Hindoos. It has been recognized with
the Malays, Chinese, Kafirs, Abyssinians, and in a conspicuous degree,
according to Dr. Rothrock, with the wild Indians of North America, and
according to Mr. D. Forbes, with the Aymaras of Bolivia. I have also
observed it with the Araucanos of southern Chili. Mr. Dyson Lacy
remarks that the natives of Australia, when in this frame of mind,
152