Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-21
SQuallinS and PoutfnG-Scleutiiea
Considered by Mr. Darwin


Weeping IL probably the result OF some 81 n
chain Of events a. fOilows:-Chiidren, when
wanting food or suffering in any way, cry oHt
loudly, like the young OF most other animals.
partly as a call TO their parents for aid, aud
partly from any great exertion serving ss a re-
lief. Prolonged Screaming inevitably leads %
the gorging OF the blood vessels of the eye, aud
this VIII have ed ~ first cons coasly and az last
habtually, Ia the contraction of the muscles
round the ey es in order 70 protect them. Atth
esnie time the ,pssncdic pressure on the surface
OF the eye, without necessarily entailing any
conscious sensation, will have affected, thrOagh
reflex action, the lschrvnnal glands. Finally,
through the three principles OF nerve force
readily passing along the acc stomei channels
OF association which is so widely extended
in Its pover-sud OF certain actions being more
under the control OF the will than others-it has
come TO pass that suffering readily causes the
secretion OF tears, without being necessarily
accompanied by any other action. Although in
accordance with this view we must look at
weeping as an Incidental result, purposeless
as the secretion OF tears from bio on tside the
eye, or as snee re from the retins being affected
by bright light, yet this does not present any
difficulty in our understanding how the secre-
ton of tears serves as a RELIEF 10 suffering.
And by as much as the weeping IL more violent
OF hysterical, by 80 much will the relief be
greater-on the same principle that the
writing of the whole body, the grinding ofthe
teeth, and the utteFing of piercing shrieks
ali give relief under an agony OF pain.
With young children sulkIneSs is shown By
pointing, or, as il is sometimes called, .'mskIny
a snOut." When the corners of the mouth ar,
much depressed the lower lip is a little exerted
and protruded, and this Is likewise called pout.
But the pOuting here referred to consists OF the
frotrusion of both lips into q tubular form,
sometimes % such an extent as to project as far
as the end of the nose, IL this be short. Pouting
is generally accompanied by frowning, AMI
sometimes by the utterance of a bOOiny or WOO
Ing noise. This expression is remarkable, "a
almost the sole one, as far as know, which is
exhibited much more plainly during childhood.
There is, however, some tendency TO the
prOtrusiOn OF the lips with the adults Of al
races under the Influence of great rage.
Some children pout when they are shy. and they
can then hardly be called suiSy. From inqui-
ries which have made in several large families
Pouting does not Seem very common with Euro
world, and must be both common and strongly
marked with the most savage races, as ii has
caught the attention OF many observers. Ii
has been noticed in eight different districts OF
Australia, and one of NV informants remarks
how greatly the lips OF the children there
are protruded. Two observers have seen
pouting with the children of the Hindoos;
three, with those OF the Kafirs and Fiugoes of
South Africa, and With the Hottentots; and two
with the children of the wild Indians of North
America. Pouting has also been observed with
the Chinese, Abyssnlans, Malsys of Mslaccs,
Dyaks or BOrneo, and often with the New Zeal
anderS Mr.. Mansel W Gale informs me that be
has seen the lips much protruded, not only with
the children o. the Hairs, but with the adults OF
both sexes, When sulky; aud Mr.. Stack has some
times observed the same thing with the men,
and worry frequently with the women of New
Zeals No. A trace of the same expression may
occa' iO ally be detected even with adult Eu-
ropedEs. We thus zee that the protrusiOn of
the lips, especially with Young children Is char
acteristic of sulkiness thro Ighout the greater
part OF the world. This movement apparently
results from the retention, chiefly duringyOuth
OF primordial habit, or from an occasional re-
version OF 1t. Young oTangs and chimpanzees
pTotrude their lips to an extraordinary degree
when they are DISCONTINUED, Cme what an Try.
or sulky; also when they are surprised littis
frightened, and even when slightly pleased.