The Portland daily press., 1874-06-11
The Eyes.

OF all features, says a writer in Golden
Hours, the eyes are the most expressive, at
least the most capable OF expressing any kind
of emotion if it be real. But when we come
to classify eyes according to their shape or
color, etc., and to lay down rules as to what
lively speaking, circumscribed. Still, there
are few general rules which may be laid
down on this subject. About the shape of
the eyes / cannot say much, because that is,
for the most part, tolerably uniform; nor am
l aware of any particular indications afforded
by such variations as exist. One thing, how
ever, l have noticed, j. e., that very round
eyes generally express dullness, heaviness,
and want of character, like those of the bird
they so much resemble. A prominent pupil
is said generally to produce short-sight,
which is SO often accompanied by talent for
acquiring languages, that We cannot help
thinking there must be some connection be-
tween the two. PhIenologists account for
this by saying that the organ of language
pushes the pupil forward. This may usu-
ally be the case, but it does not always pro-
duce this eff ect Tor, if it does, then 1t must
follow that prominent pupil does not nee
essarily indicate short sight, for l have
known two persons whose talents for Ian
guage was most remarkable, but whose sight
was not, so far as could judge, short. Eyes
WuiSh oiO SibhdtC0 NChx dpdiJ III buC idNO,
are said to denote certain amount of de-
ficiency of intellect; what the opposite fault
denotes cannot say. Eyes which can never
look you straight in the face generally ind-
cate want of straightforwardness, and
create an unconscious feeling of mstrust in
those who look at them, which, like the rat
tie of the rattlesnake, serves as sort of
providential warning, telling us that danger
is near. allow that similar effect may be
produced by shyness, but in that case it is
not unlikely to wear off on closer acquain-
tance-in the other case, it never wears of.
Eyes which possess the opposite characters
tic of this, i. e., that of looking you stead
fastly in the face without finchiEg, are sell
dom, perhaps never, found in persons of an
arttul, underhand disposition. A steadfast
gaze, il it be not Gas it sometimes isl an un-
meaning stare, or mere wistful look, like
that of dog expecting food, but of search
ing, penetrating character, will be generally
found to imply great power of influencing,
or, perhaps / should rather say, It gives that
power; e. a., VIII at an effectual auxiliary to a
preacher is an eye Of this description. This
was one great secret of the effect of DR..
Guthrie's preaching, Ii man wants his
words to carry weight with his hearers, he
should fix his eye on them. Such, indeed,
is said to be the power of concentrated
gaze that have been told there is NO animal,
however ferocious, which might not be kept
in check by any one who had the courage to
look him steadfastly in the face, though,
as few could trust their own hearts, were
they to encounter wild beast, it would be
tempting of Providence to try the experiment,
the more so, as a moments failure OF courage
might be fatal. once saw Van Amburgh,
the celebrated lion-tamer. in den OF Wild
beasts, but his eyes did not exhibit that fixed
gaze which have noticed as being SO power
full in its effects on the human race; the balls
seemed to be in astate of perpetual motion,
such as, had l not seen it, should have
thought the human eye incapable OF sustain
ing, where there was no motion OF head, and
which he resorted to because he was obliged
to encounter so many ferocious beasts at the
same time; so that it would not have been
safe for him to remove his gaze from one OF
thesn for more than SINCE moment. 1t
would be needless, and, indeed, nearly inn
possible. to 60 through all the phases OF feel-
ing, all the various emotions, which display
Themselves in the eye, or all the states OF
mind which it indicates, for there is nothing
in human nature which it cannot picture,
but a great many of these indications, though
they may easily be recognized, cannot be de-
scribed, nor can we lay down rules for their
discovery; for they do not belong to any par
sis,ular class OF eyes. They are, many OF
the. m, totally unconnected with its iorm or
size. color or position.