278 DARWINISM STATED BY DARWIN HIMSELF. 



bly it is that this expression is not even alluded to, as far 

 as I have noticed, in any work of fiction, with the excep- 

 tion of " Eed Gauntlet" and of one other novel ; and the 

 authoress of the latter, as I am informed, belongs to the 

 famous family of actors just alluded to ; so that her 

 attention may have been specially called to the subject. 



"DOWN IN THE MOUTH." 



To say that a person "is down in the 

 mouth " is synonymous with saying that he is 

 out of spirits. The depression of the corners may often 

 be seen, as already stated on the authority of Dr. Crich- 

 ton Browne and Mr. Nicol, with the melancholic insane, 

 and was well exhibited in some photographs, sent to me 

 by the former gentleman, of patients with a strong tend- 

 ency to suicide. It has been observed with men belong- 

 ing to various races, namely, with Hindoos, the dark hill- 

 tribes of India, Malays, and, as the Rev. Mr. Hagenauer 

 informs me, with the aborigines of Australia. 



When infants scream they firmly contract the muscles 

 round their eyes, and this draws up the upper lip ; and, 

 as they have to keep their mouths widely open, the de- 

 pressor muscles running to the corners are likewise 

 brought into strong action. This generally, but not in- 

 variably, causes a slight angular bend in the lower lip on 

 both sides, near the corners of the mouth. 



Pa" 195 ^ * s remar kable how small a depression of 



the corners of the mouth gives to the counte- 

 nance an expression of low spirits or dejection, so that an 

 extremely slight contraction of these muscles would be 

 sufficient to betray this state of mind. 



