Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1874-01-15
Abouf Ears.

AUOut LLdTSs
Poesy has done long and willin
service in its praise of the, eve, an
it has usually assumed that peopl
had but one optic, by sounding il
batteries in the singular number
We have read of the "Ianguid an
subdued hazel eye,'' the ''soul
piercing black" the "gentle blue,
the "intelleetual and keen sighte,
gray" the "drowsy. droopin.
brown" etc @ q
So, also. of the mouth. TIL
''finely chiseled lips" the "frm
compressed mouth, the ',studiOus,
the "valuptuous," the drank" tn,
retired" etc.-all these adiectiv,
characteristics have been played up
on to exhaustion. As well of tbs
nose-though seldom in poetry-wt
have read of the "classic," which i;
usually Grecian or Italian, bul
never Roman; the "small, reflective
nostril;" the ''open. round and unin
tellectual but valorous nostril," etc.
But whoever inscribed stanza to
the human ear? Whoever named it
in song or story? And yet this
slighted member is strong mark
of character, a most indispensable
agent in the mental and physical
economy-apparent, and even prom
inent, in every species. The eyes,
the nose. the M nth, may perform
sometimes double, and even treble
functions, but not tho ear. So in
tricate, so paramount is its office,
that but one service can devolve
upon Its fragile bnt complicated
structure without displaeing or i'm
pairing the delicate parts. We use
1t alone for the sense of hearing. and
though in instances it may be i'm
perfect, uncertain, and even
CoNcLUsIvELY WRONG,
in the translation of sound, yet upon
the whole. it is a silent, patient. in
transitive little organ capable of but
one thing, and generally faithful in
that. 1t may be claimed that it is not
ornamental. Lop off couple Of ears
from mans head, and then hand him
a mirror. Nor is it ever clearly orna-
mental. If its construction is minutely
looked into it will be found to be beau
tifully and symmetrieally curved and
grooved, all its labyrinthian angels
tending to a common centre, and that
point the receptacle of sound. But
the ear has not been understood be
cause it is thus intricate in structure
and singular in form. When a man
sits for a portrait in the oil the artist
never looks at his ears to see how they
are shspen. He may glance at
THEIR SIZE,
because he can take some trait of the
subject from this; and then he sees
how the sitter's hair conceals or uncov-
srs his ears, because his picture would
be untrue with that omission. But he
loes not look further than for these
purposes. but sets about to paint the
ACE, laboring after the expression Of
he eyes, the peculiarities of the mouth,
he formation of the nose, and when
hese have been attained he daubs at
he side of the head pair of oyster
Ihells, which he calls ears, and puts
he painting aside to dry.
Now, we have
A CONFIDENTIAL WORD
o this artist, and from the lesson the
paternity may profit. When this has
,een written and read by these gentry. |
We know that a chorus will protest,
we knew that long ago!" But we
want to say here that they didn't. 1t
5 common to hear persons speaking of
IN absent party: "Dear me! Doesn't
he look like Amanda?" Another will
uggest that her eyes are like Julia's.
ler nose like Angeline's, her mouth
Ike her mothers. Now, the point we
make is that there is no ideal ear.
therefore,, the identical set of oyster
hells won't do for different heads
And further-and we impress this
here are not two persons in the uni
erse whose ears are alike in shape,
ven allowing them to be similar in
::4e. Now, Messrs. Portrait Painters,
ut your heads together and try it.
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