ON ACQUIRED FACIAL EXPRESSION. 385 



been partially created by bis babit of working bis jaws concomi- 

 tantly witb bis sbears. Let any one watcb a person cutting a 

 piece of tougb material witb scissors, and be will see tbat tbe 

 lower part of tbe face wags in rbytbmic and spontaneous unison 

 witb tbe blades. Sbepberds and farm laborers wbo join sbeep- 

 sbearing gangs certainly acquire a different expression wbile en- 

 gaged in tbis kind of work. Tbe cast of countenance by wbicb 

 one so easily recognizes a groom is partially explicable from tbe 

 fact tbat tbe muscles wbicb close tbe jaw and compress tbe lips 

 are always called into play wben we are asserting our will over 

 tbat of a borse. Nearly all jockeys and otber borsey men bave a 

 peculiar set of tbe moutb and cbin, but I bave been unable to dis- 

 tinguisb any special cbaracteristic about tbe eye or upper part of 

 tbe face. It is instructive to compare tbe visage of tbe ruler of 

 borses witb tbat of tbe ruler of men. Tbe borseman's face sbows 

 command in tbe moutb, tbe drill-sergeant's in tbe moutb and tbe 

 eye. Tbe last is undoubtedly tbe most effective instrument in ex- 

 acting obedience from our own species. Here we get a bint of tbe 

 cause of tbat want of dignity, tbat element of coarseness, wbicb is 

 discernible in tbe countenances of some men and women wbo bave 

 mucb to do witb borses. Tbe bigber and nobler metbod of ex- 

 pressing autbority is outweigbed by tbe lower and more animal 

 one. 



Generally speaking, it is a strenuous contest witb minor diffi- 

 culties wbicb produces a tbin and rigid set of lips. It is seen al- 

 most invariably in housewives of tbe Martba type, wbo are " care- 

 ful and troubled about many tbings," and wbose souls are sbaken 

 to tbe center by petty worries witbin doors, and strife a outrance 

 witb shortcomings of tbe scullery maid or tbe cook. 



Tbe compressed lip so loved (and so often misinterpreted) by 

 novelists is a sign of weakness ratber tban strength. It tells of 

 perpetual conflicts in wbicb tbe reserves are called into tbe fray. 

 Tbe strong will is not agitated into strenuous action by tbe small 

 worries of tbe bour, and tbe great occasions wbicb call for its 

 wbole forces are too few to produce a permanent impress of tbis 

 kind upon tbe features. Tbe commanding officer, assured of bis 

 men's obedience, does not habitually keep his lip muscles in a 

 state of tension. Look at tbe sea captain, tbe most absolute mon- 

 arch on earth. He carries authority and power in his face, but it 

 resides in his eye and the confident assurance of his easily set 

 moutb. Every spar and shaft and muscle in bis floating realm 

 must obey him, and be knows it. This is probably a reason why 

 tbe sea captain's and the engine driver's show a certain similarity 

 of type. The engine driver can make bis captive giant, strong as 

 ten thousand men, obey tbe pressure of his finger. His lips are 

 usually calm, like those of the statues of tbe wielder of thunder- 



VOL. XLT. 30 



