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ly prevents their being so much lowered as they otherwise would have been。 As far as I have been able to observe； the grief…muscles are brought into action much more frequently by children and women than by men。 They are rarely acted on； at least with grown…up persons； from bodily pain； but almost exclusively from mental distress。 Two persons who； after some practice； succeeded in acting on their grief…muscles； found by looking at a mirror that when they made their eyebrows oblique； they unintentionally at the same time depressed the corners of their mouths； and this is often the case when the expression is naturally assumed。
The power to bring the grief…muscles freely into play appears to be hereditary； like almost every other human faculty。 A lady belonging to a family famous for having produced an extraordinary number of great actors and actresses； and who can herself give this expression 〃with singular precision；〃 told Dr。 Crichton Browne that all her family had possessed the power in a remarkable degree。 The same hereditary tendency is said to have extended； as I likewise hear from Dr。 Browne； to the last descendant of the family； which gave rise to Sir Walter Scott's novel of ‘Red Gauntlet；' but the hero is described as contracting his forehead into a horseshoe mark from any strong emotion。 I have also seen a young woman whose forehead seemed almost habitually thus contracted； independently of any emotion being at the time felt。
The grief…muscles are not very frequently brought into play； and as the action is often momentary； it easily escapes observation。 Although the expression； when observed； is universally and instantly recognized as that of grief or anxiety； yet not one person out of a thousand who has never studied the subject； is able to say precisely what change passes over the sufferer's face。 Hence probably it is that this expression is not even alluded to； as far as I have noticed； in any work of fiction； with the exception of ‘Red 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。
The ancient Greek sculptors were familiar with the expression； as shown in the statues of the Laocoon and Arretino； but； as Duchenne remarks； they carried the transverse furrows across the whole breadth of the forehead； and thus committed a great anatomical mistake： this is likewise the case in some modern statues。 It is； however； more probable that these wonderfully accurate observers intentionally sacrificed truth for the sake of beauty； than that they made a mistake； for rectangular furrows on the forehead would not have had a grand appearance on the marble。 The expression； in its fully developed condition； is； as far as I can discover； not often represented in pictures by the old masters； no doubt owing to the same cause； but a lady who is perfectly familiar with this expression； informs me that in Fra Angelico's ‘Descent from the Cross；' in Florence； it is clearly exhibited in one of the figures on the right…hand； and I could add a few other instances。
Dr。 Crichton Browne； at my request； closely attended to this expression in the numerous insane patients under his care in the West Riding Asylum； and he is familiar with Duchenne's photographs of the action of the grief…muscles。 He informs me that they may constantly be seen in energetic action in cases of melancholia； and especially of hypochondria； and that the persistent lines or furrows； due to their habitual contraction； are characteristic of the physiognomy of the insane belonging to these two classes。 Dr。 Browne carefully observed for me during a considerable period three cases of hypochondria； in which the grief…muscles were persistently contracted。 In one of these； a widow； aged 51； fancied that she had lost all her viscera； and that her whole body was empty。 She wore an expression of great distress； and beat her semi…closed hands rhythmically together for hours。 The grief…muscles were permanently contracted； and the upper eyelids arched。 This condition lasted for months； she then recovered； and her countenance resumed its natural expression。 A second case presented nearly the same peculiarities； with the addition that the corners of the mouth were depressed。
Mr。 Patrick Nicol has also kindly observed for me several cases in the Sussex Lunatic Asylum； and has communicated to me full details with respect to three of them； but they need not here be given。 From his observations on melancholic patients； Mr。 Nicol concludes that the inner ends of the eyebrows are almost always more or less raised； with the wrinkles on the forehead more or less plainly marked。 In the case of one young woman； these wrinkles were observed to be in constant slight play or movement。 In some cases the corners of the mouth are depressed； but often only in a slight degree。 Some amount of difference in the expression of the several melancholic patients could almost always be observed。 The eyelids generally droop； and the skin near their outer corners and beneath them is wrinkled。 The naso…labial fold； which runs from the wings of the nostrils to the corners of the mouth； and which is so conspicuous in blubbering children； is often plainly marked in these patients。
Although with the insane the grief…muscles often act persistently； yet in ordinary cases they are sometimes brought unconsciously into momentary action by ludicrously slight causes。 A gentleman rewarded a young lady by an absurdly small present； she pretended to be offended； and as she upbraided him； her eyebrows became extremely oblique； with the forehead properly wrinkled。 Another young lady and a youth； both in the highest spirits； were eagerly talking together with extraordinary rapidity； and I noticed that； as often as the young lady was beaten； and could not get out her words fast enough； her eyebrows went obliquely upwards； and rectangular furrows were formed on her forehead。 She thus each time hoisted a flag of distress； and this she did half…a…dozen times in the course of a few minutes。 I made no remark on the subject； but on a subsequent occasion I asked her to act on her grief…muscles； another girl who was present； and who could do so voluntarily； showing her what was intended。 She tried repeatedly； but utterly failed； yet so slight a cause of distress as not being able to talk quickly enough； sufficed to bring these muscles over and over again into energetic action。
The expression of grief； due to the contraction of the grief…muscles； is by no means confined to Europeans； but appears to be common to all the races of mankind。 I have； at least； received trustworthy accounts in regard to Hindoos； Dhangars （one of the aboriginal hill…tribes of India； and therefore belonging to a quite distinct race from the Hindoos）； Malays； Negroes and Australians。 With respect to the latter； two observers answer my query in the affirmative； but enter into no details。 Mr。 Taplin； however； appends to my descriptive remarks the words 〃this is exact。〃 With respect to negroes； the lady who told me of Fra Angelico's picture； saw a negro towing a boat on the Nile； and as he encountered an obstruction； she observed his grief…muscles in strong action； with the middle of the forehead well wrinkled。 Mr。 Geach watched a Malay man in Malacca； with the corners of his mouth much depressed； the eyebrows oblique； with deep short grooves on the forehead。 This expression lasted for a very short time； and Mr。 Geach remarks it 〃was a strange one； very much like a person about to cry at some great loss。〃
In India Mr。 H。 Erskine found that the natives were familiar with this expression； and Mr。 J。 Scott； of the Botanic Gardens； Calcutta； has obligingly sent me a full description of two cases。 He observed during some time； himself unseen； a very young Dhangar woman from Nagpore； the wife of one of the gardeners； nursing her baby who was at the point of death； and he distinctly saw the eyebrows raised at the inner corners； the eyelids drooping； the forehead wrinkled in the middle； the mouth slightly open； with the corners much depressed。 He then came from behind a screen of plants and spoke to the poor woman； who started； burst into a bitter flood of tears； and besought him to cure her baby。 The second case was that of a Hindustani man； who from illness and poverty was compelled to sell his favourite goat。 After receiving the money； he repeatedly looked at the money in his hand and then at the goat； as if doubting whether he would not return it。 He went to the goat； which was tied up ready to be led away； and the animal reared up and licked his hands。 His eyes then wavered from side to side； his 〃mouth was partially closed； with the corners very decidedly depressed。〃 At last the poor man seemed to make up his mind that he must part with his goat； and then； as Mr。 Scott saw； the eyebrows became slightly oblique； with the characteristic puckering or swelling at the inner ends； but the wrinkles on the forehead were not present。 The man stood thus for a minute； then heaving a deep sigh； burst into tears； raised up his two hands； blessed the goat； turned round； and without looking again； went away。