COMPARATIVE ANATOMY. 



imd the bottom of the cavity of the nose : 

 this is intersected by a more perpendicu- 

 lar one, proceeding from the convexity 

 of the forehead to the most prominent 

 point of the upper jaw, or of the inter- 

 maxillary bone. The latter is the proper 

 facial line ; and the angle which it forms 

 with the horizontal line determines, ac- 

 cording to Camper, the differences of the 

 crania of animals, as well- as the national 

 physiognomy of the various races of man- 



The two organs which occupy most of 

 the face are, those of smelling 1 and tasting, 

 (including those of mastication, &c.) In 

 proportion as these parts are more deve- 

 loped, the size of the face, compared to 

 that of the cranium, is augmented. On 

 the contrary, when the brain is large, the 

 volume of the cranium is increased in 

 proportion to that of the face. A large 

 cranium and small face indicate therefore 

 a large brain, with inconsiderable organs 

 of smelling, tasting, masticating, &c. ; 

 while a small cranium, with a large face, 

 shew that these proportions are revers- 

 ed. 



The nature and character of each ani- 

 mal must depend considerably on the 

 relative energy of its different functions. 

 The brain is the common centre of the 

 nervous system. All our perceptions are 

 conveyed to this part, as a sensorium 

 commune : and this is the organ by 

 which the mind combines and compares 

 these perceptions, and draws inferences 

 from them ; by which, in short, it reflects 

 and thinks. We shall find that animals 

 partake in a greater degree of this latter 

 faculty, or at least approach more nearly 

 to it, in proportion as the mass of medul- 

 lary substance, forming their brain, ex- 

 ceeds that which constitutes the rest of 

 the nervous system ; or, in other words, 

 in proportion as the organ of the mind 

 exceeds those of the senses. Since then 

 the relative proportions of the cranium 

 and face indicate also those of the brain 

 and the two principal external organs, we 

 shall not be surprised to find that they 

 point out to us, in great measure, the 

 general character of animals, the degree 

 of instinct, and docility which they pos- 

 sess. Man combines by far the largest 

 cranium with the smallest face ; and ani- 

 mals deviate from these relations, in pro- 

 por'ion as they increase in stupidity and 

 ferocity. 



One" of the most simple methods 

 (though sometimes indeed insufficient) 

 of expressing the relative proportions of 

 these parts, is by means of the facial line, 



which has been already described. This 

 angle is most open, or approaches most 

 nearly to a right angle, in the human sub- 

 ject ; it becomes constantly more acute, 

 as we descend in the scale from man ; 

 and in several birds, reptiles, and fishes, 

 it is lost altogether, as the cranium and 

 face are completely on a level. The idea 

 of s'upidity is associated, even by the 

 vulgar, with the elongation of the snout ; 

 hence the crane and snipe have become 

 proverbial. On the contrary, when the 

 facial line is elevated by any cause which 

 does not increase the capacity of the cra- 

 nium, as in the elephant and owl, by the 

 cells which separate the two tables, the 

 animal acquires a particular air of intelli- 

 gence, and gains the credit of qualities 

 which he does not in reality possess. 



Hence the latter animal has been select- 

 ed as the emblem of the goddess of wis- 

 dom. The invaluable remains of Grecian 

 art shew that the ancients were well ac- 

 quainted with these circumstances ; they 

 were aware, that an elevated facial line 

 formed one of the grand characters of 

 beauty, and indicated a noble and generous 

 nature. Hence they have extended the 

 facial angle to 90 degrees in the represen- 

 tation of men, on whom they wished to 

 bestow an august character. And in the 

 representation of their gods and heroes, 

 they have even carried it beyond a right 

 angle, and made it 100. 



It must, however, be allowed, that the 

 facial angle is of chief importance in its 

 application to the cranium of the human 

 subject, and of the quadrumana : as vari- 

 ous circumstances affect the conclusions 

 which would result from employing it in 

 other classes of mammalia. Thus, in the 

 carnivorous, and some of the ruminating 

 animals ; in the pig, and particularly in 

 the elephant, the great size of the frontal 

 sinuses produces an undue elevation of 

 the facial line. In many of the rodentia, 

 as the hare, &c. the nose occupies so 

 large a space, that the cranium is thrown 

 quite back, and presents no- point on a 

 front view, from which this line can be 

 drawn. 



The following are the angles formed by 

 drawing a line along the floor of the nos- 

 trils, and intersecting it by another, which 

 touches the anterior margin of the upper 

 alveoli, and the convexity of the cranium, 

 (whether the latter point be concealed bv 

 the face or no ;) 



European infant 



adult 



Adult negro 



90 

 85 

 70 



