The Opelousas courier., 1885-07-04
BLUE EYES INCREASING.
A Curious Optical Change in
the Last Fifty Years.
A Scientists Interesting Statements About
Blue and Other Eyes

Chaucer built the original lofty rhyme;
and until today, when the frantic
lover, signing like a furnace, indites a
hating sonnet to the object of his
passion. Men adore blue eyes in wo-
MEN and women reciprocate in kind.
Some n signs for tine old fashioned
girl Of fifty years ago and complains
that sweet eighteen of to-day is not
comparable with the Venus who then
walked the earth with sparkling orbs
of liquid blue.
The present generation, whose only
knowledge of the female beauty Of
halfa century ago is derived from da-
guerreotypes of the g~randmothers or
such old-time fashion plates as have
not yet falflled their destiny in being
used to wrap small packages of tobac-
co, soap, and candles in country stores,
will be pleased to learn that, instead
of a decrease, theAe is an increase in
the number of blue eyes since the days
of George ".
Speaking on the subject, an eminent
professor who has devoted a great deal
of attention to the eyes gave this as
his opinion: .Without having any
data at hand" he said, IL would say
that, considering the causes to which
blue eyes are attributable, there would
be more of that color 10Y than there
were fifty years ago"
He explained the matter scientifi~
cally thus:
81 think so because the color of the
eye depends on the quantity of the pig
ment deposited in the iris and the
amount of light the eye is called upon
to absorb. Fifty years ago people
were more exposed to the direct rays
of the sun and lived less in retirement
than they do. now, and therefore the
eye was called upon to absorb more
light. It would lie a fair inference
that people who were much exposed to
free, open sunlight, and living in a
state incliningt to a state Of nature.
would have darker eyes than those
living in a city, wearing glasses and
remaining a great deal in their
homes
"Do you think the color OF eyes at
tributable in any degree to climatic
Influences ?"
Eyes, the color Is subject in a great
degree to climatic influences and the
methods of living OF the people. TO
illustrate what | mean about the eye
absorbing light, you win observe that
while walking along In the snow the
eye is called upon to absorb q great
deal of light. but in looking on a dark
piece of velvet is is the reverse. The
velvet does the absorption. Blue eyes
are increasing in number, / believe.
not decreasing.
There is another standpoint from
which the study Of eyes is interesting.
| and that is in relation to the indica-
ton they surely give OF a persons
character. The poet has called the
eyes the windows Of The SOUL and un-
questionably they are The most clio.
quent features Of the human counte-
nance, rejecting all QUA qualities and
desires. our impulses. our passions.
and often u very thoaghts.~
.'By the eyes we form our FIRST i'm
pressions Of a persons character, and
1t is very seldom that we change that
first feeling, be it good or bad, without
the strongest cause. Every trait and
quality finds expression in these mir
rors. Blue eyes betray two antithetic
characters. Large and bright they
denote quick perception and great sus-
ceptibiIity Of external i~nfiuences. In
the gentler more often than in the
sterner sex, they are found coupled
with fine arched eyebrows, In which
case they indicate in men d refined ma
ture and aesthetic tastes. and in women
a lovable disposition, with q predilec-
ton for dress, music, and the fine arts.
It is a principle generally recognized
by physiognomists that beautiful eyes
betoken a corresponding beauty of
character, amiability, trustfulness.
honor, and devotion.
"Adorers of blue eyes and light eyes
generally will be not d little disap.
pointed to learn that they signify cum
ming and deceitfulness, and that ply
siognomists advise us to beware OF
them. It is rather startling informa
ton, certainly, in the light of the in
talligence that eyes Of this color are OF
the increase.
aGray eyes are said to denote intel
ngence, coupled with studiousness and
great mental capability, and adorned
by fine feeling. Black eyes are un
fashionable. and may either imply de
ceit and unscrupulousness or a noble
elevation Of character.
Ewes like these of any of the lowe
-s-ala for i,ofanca will he fouDf