TRADES AND FACES. 631 



ence of the sympathetic nerves upon the muscular coats of the 

 smaller blood-vessels, and such visible changes are often confined 

 to a small area. When, owing to some wave of emotion, the 

 cheeks flush or turn pale, the same stimulus which effects such 

 an alteration in outward expression anil also disturb the existing 

 conditions of nutrition in the regions affected. And it appears 

 exceedingly probable that just as the faint currents continually 

 flowing along the motor nerves are to a great extent responsible 

 for the prevailing " muscular " expression of the countenance, so 

 also slight but continuous emotional stimulation of the sympa- 

 thetic fibers which supply any part of the face may influence its 

 growth in a marked degree in the long run, although at any 

 given moment the vascular consequences may be imperceptible. 



Now it is within the knowledge of every one who has turned 

 a curious inward eye upon his feelings that certain emotions 

 which deeply stir the inner man, and which may make us glow 

 or shudder to the finger tips, do not cause any facial changes, 

 except, perhaps, a slight difference in the hue of the brow or 

 cheeks, and a glistening or darkening of the eye. This is often 

 the case when we are under the control of the deeper feelings. 

 We do not laugh when filled with the most exalted joy, or dis- 

 tort our faces when overwhelmed with grief. The fierce emotion 

 which seizes on man and beast alike when the grosser appetites 

 hold full sway often produces many profound changes of an 

 organic nature without provoking any activity in the expression 

 muscles. 



Even when certain forms of emotion tend to distort the fea- 

 tures if provoked in a natural and direct manner, they fail to 

 react upon the facial muscles when produced artificially, as they 

 may be by a play, a novel, or a strain of music. During the silent 

 perusal of a pathetic story many people confess to a " lump in 

 the throat," but it is very seldom that the corners of the mouth 

 are twitched downward. 



These deliberately induced or artificial emotions offer an inter- 

 esting field to the psychologist. They evidently differ from their 

 elementary prototypes as much as polarized light differs from 

 direct light. They tint what would else be both hideous and pro- 

 saic with all the colors of the rainbow, so that we are able to 

 take pleasure in tragedy, 



"And with an eager and suspended soul 

 Woo terror, to delight us." 



If we survey the faces of a crowd of people at a concert, we 

 find that they offer scarcely a hint of the emotion evoked by the 

 music. The features of the listeners remain as placid as if they 

 were asleep, and as if the inward excitement which thrills them, 



