MBAXS OF THE EXPRESSION OF THE EMOTIONS. 275 

 THE GEIEF-MUSCLES. 



Expression of With respect to the eyebrows, they may 

 the Emotions, occasionally be seen to assume an oblique po- 

 ^^^ ' sition in persons suffering from deep dejection 

 or anxiety ; for instance, I hare observed this movement 

 in a mother while speaking about her sick son ; and it is 

 sometimes excited by quite trifling or momentary causes 

 of real or pretended distress. The eyebrows assume this 

 position owing to the contraction of certain muscles 

 (namely, the orbiculars, corrugators, and pyramidals of 

 the nose, which together tend to lower and contract the 

 eyebrows) being partially checked by the more powerful 

 action of the central fasciae of the frontal muscle. These 

 latter fascise, by their contraction, raise the inner ends 

 alone of the eyebrows ; and, as the corrugators at the 

 same time draw the eyebrows together, their inner ends 

 become puckered into a fold or lump. The eyebrows are 

 at the same time somewhat roughened, owing to the hairs 

 being made to project. Dr. J, Crichton Browne has also 

 often noticed, in melancholic patients who keep their eye- 

 brows persistently oblique, "a, peculiar acute arching of 

 the upper eyelid." The acute arching of the eyelids de- 

 pends, I believe, on the inner end alone of the eyebrows 

 being raised ; for, when the whole eyebrow is elevated 

 and arched, the upper eyelid follows in a slight degree the 

 same movement. 



But the most conspicuous result of the opposed con- 

 traction of the above-named muscles is exhibited by the 

 peculiar furrows formed on the forehead. These muscles, 

 when thus in conjoint yet opposed action, may be called, 

 for the sake of brevity, the grief-muscles. When a per- 

 son elevates his eyebrows by the contraction of the whole 

 frontal muscle, transverse wrinkles extend across the 



