164 Mr Nasmyth on the Human Mouth. 



gards them as the most important points on which the gener 

 ral character of the he^d depends. The facial angle of Cam- 

 per is a subject which still retains much interest, though that 

 interest might probably have passed away had it not compre- 

 hended within its range the comparative development of the 

 anterior or intellectual portion of the brain. Still the interest 

 of that portion of the subtending lines of the angle connected 

 with the mouth, although not neglected, yet, in my opinion, 

 requires more consideration than has hitherto been allotted to 

 it. That acquiescence in the harmony of nature, which seems 

 to be irresistible, might probably call forth an assent to the 

 accuracy of these general remarks ; but, however close the 

 reasoning on hypothetical principles, yet science demands de- 

 monstration from facts before we can freely or fully yield our 

 assent to any proposition. We must inquire if deviations in the 

 character of the mouth are simply the effect of deviations in the 

 habits of individuals composing races; whether they are partial 

 and appear in individuals only, .or general and amount to a 

 national or tribe characteristic. We know that the osseous 

 portion of the animal frame is modelled by the soft parts, and 

 that, in fact, the bones may be considered as mere passive ac- 

 cessories, forming points of attachment as well as protection 

 for the soft parts which are the springs by which the animal 

 machine is worked in all its complicated movements. That 

 passive character, however, affords, in its nature, a direct 

 demonstration of the amount of activity of the soft parts con- 

 nected with such portion of individual structure. In the pre- 

 sent, case it must be evident, and the instruction derived 

 from the development of these parts must be regarded as di- 

 rect. We must seek for the origin of the characteristic dif- 

 ferences amongst the various groups of mankind, in causes 

 which are natural, general, and indispensable to the existence 

 of man in his particular position. We must also look for the 

 origin of certain appearances in manners and customs. The 

 form of the mouth, and the condition of the teeth, must be 

 studied, in reference to the habits of infancy, as regulating the 

 development, particularly as to the kind of food consumed, and 

 weight must also be given to the effects of hereditary trans- 

 ference of characters. 



