194 EXPRESSION OF GRIEF: Chap. VII. 



site to me in a railway carriage. Whilst I was looking 

 at her, I saw that her clep ressor es anguli oris became 

 very slightly, yet decidedly, contracted; but as her 

 countenance remained as placid as ever, I reflected how 

 meaningless was this contraction, and how easily one 

 might be deceived. The thought had hardly occurred 

 to me when I saw that her eyes suddenly became suf- 

 fused with tears almost to overflowing, and her whole 

 countenance fell. There could now be no doubt that 

 some painful recollection, perhaps that of a long-lost 

 child, was passing through her mind. As soon as her 

 sensorium was thus affected, certain nerve-cells from 

 long habit instantly transmitted an order to all the re- 

 spiratory muscles, and to those round the mouth, to pre- 

 pare for a fit of crying. But the order was counter- 

 manded by the will, or rather by a later acquired habit, 

 and all the muscles were obedient, excepting in a slight 

 degree the depressor es anguli oris. The mouth was not 

 even opened; the respiration was not hurried; and no 

 muscle was affected except those which draw down the 

 corners of the mouth. 



As soon as the mouth of this lady began, involun- 

 tarily and unconsciously on her part, to assume the 

 proper form for a crying-fit, we may feel almost sure 

 that some nerve-influence would have been transmitted 

 through the long accustomed channels to the various 

 respiratory muscles, as well as to those round the eyes, 

 and to the vaso-motor centre which governs the supply of 

 blood sent to the lacrymal glands. Of this latter fact we 

 have indeed clear evidence in her eyes becoming slightly 

 suffused with tears; and we can understand this, as the 

 lacrymal glands are less under the control of the will 

 than the facial muscles. No doubt there existed at the 

 same time some tendency in the muscles round the eyes 

 at contract, as if for the sake of protecting them from 



