Proceedings of the Royal Society. 275 
we pronounce on the direction of the eyes is founded in great 
measure on the view presented to us of parts which have not been 
considered as assisting our judgment. 
Dr. W. then adverted to the influence cf the form of the iris as 
announcing the direction of the eye in portraits, and to that of the 
variable portion of the white shewn when the eye is variously di- 
rected in living persons; he remarked, however, that even in real 
eyes we are not guided by this circumstance alone, but are un- 
consciously aided by the concurrent position of the face; and he 
illustrated this opinion by reference to a series of drawings 
above mentioned, shewing that the apparent position of the 
eyes is powerfully influenced by that of the adjacent parts of 
the face, especially those which are most prominent: and these 
considerations are not limited in their application merely to cases 
of lateral turn of the eyes or face, but the same principles also 
apply to instances of moderate inclination of the face upwards or 
downwards; for when the face is directed downwards, the eyes 
that look at us must be turned upwards from the position of the 
face to which they belong; and if to eyes so drawn an upward 
cast of features be substituted for the former, the eyes imme- 
diately look above us. 
From these and other details given in the paper, the author 
concludes that the apparent direction of the eyes to or from the 
spectator depends upon the balance of two circumstances com- 
bined in the same representation; namely, 1. The general po- 
sition of the face presented to the spectator. 2. The turn of the 
eyes from that position; and thence proceeds to examine why, if 
the eyes of a portrait look at the spectator placed in front of 
the picture, they appear to follow him in every other direction. 
When two objects are seen on the ground at different distances 
from us in the same direction, one appears and must be repre- 
‘sented exactly above the other, so that a vertical plane from the 
eye would pass through them, and since such a line will be seen 
upright, however far we move to one side, it follows that the 
same objects still seem to be in a line with us exactly as in 
