420 HISTORY OF 



in beauty.* The under jaw in a Chinese face 

 falls greatly more backward than with us ; and, 

 I am told, the difference is half an inch, when the 

 mouth is shut naturally." In instances of the 

 most violent passion, the under jaw has often an 

 involuntary quivering motion ; and often, also, a 

 state of languor produces another, which is that 

 of yawning. " Every one knows how very sympa- 

 thetic this kind of languid motion is ; and that 

 for one person to yawn, is sufficient to set all the 

 rest of the company a yawning. A ridiculous 

 instance of this was commonly practised upon the 

 famous M'Laurin, one of the professors at Edin- 

 burgh. He was very subject to have his jaw dis- 

 located ; so that when he opened his mouth wider 

 than ordinary, or when he yawned, he could not 

 shut it again. In the midst of his harangues, 

 therefore, if any of his pupils began to be tired 

 of his lecture, he had only to gape, or yawn, and 

 the professor instantly caught the sympathetic 

 affection ; so that he thus continued to stand 

 speechless, with his mouth wide open, till his 

 servant, from the next room, was called in to set 

 his jaw again." t 



When the mind reflects with regret upon some 

 good unattained or lost, it feels an internal emo- 

 tion, which acting upon the diaphragm, and that 

 upon the lungs, produces a sigh ; this, when the 

 mind is strongly affected, is repeated ; sorrow suc- 

 ceeds these first emotions, and tears are often seen 



* M. Buffbn says, that both jaws, in a perfect face, should be oti a level ; 

 but this is denied b> the best painters. 



f This was afterwards discovered to have been a mistake. 



