The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-03-26
CHARACTER IN THE EAR.
The Small and Thin Ears, and Those
Which are Large and Thick.


Little notice is commonly taken of
| the outward form of our organ of hear
ing. and even artists do not give it
much consideration as rule, vet the
| formation and shape of the ear, says
| writer, will amply repay those who
give it close attention. Our modern
painters seldom go into mute detail
over it. The sculptors are more par
ticular especially among the antique;
one seldom sees a good piece of statuary
without noticing that great care has
been taken to correctly model the ear,
and it was regarded as worthy of
study.
Ears vary greatly in form and size,
and the peculiaritieS of shape they as
sumo sometimes give an index to the
character of the individual. Women
have much better shaped ears than
men. They are usually much smaller
and lie close to the head. Some peo-
pie possess a singular muscular power
over the ear, and can move the upper
part at will, but it is rarely met with
The ear is worth studying from an
anatomical point of view. Beginning
with the outer fold or ridge, called the
helix, which forms the outline, the
ear is composed of thin cartilage and
integument. The next prominent ridge
is the antihelix, which some people
have very largely developed, but in a
well-fOrmed ear projects very little be-
yOnd the helix. The little knob that
projects from the foot of the antiheliX
is called the antitragus, and the cor
responding knob on the other side the
tragus. The deep well in the center of
the ear is the concha, and, last of all,
the fleshy part below is called the lobe
or lobule. The concha. so termed
from its shell-like form, plays the most
important part in rejecting the vibra-
tions into the inner ear; in fact. all
these projections and depressions are
of Importance to our hearing, and play
their own parts in conveying the un-
dulations of sound to the drum of the
ear.
Owing to the immense variety of
size and form in ears, it is somewhat
difficult to definitely classify them, but
they may be roughly divided into two
divisions. which are easily identified
division L, with curved hanging lobe;
division H., with straight lobe.
Besides the peculiarities of shape
the ear may be large or small, pro-
truding or flat. and straight or sloping.
Some ears have pointed tops, while
others have straight. Small and thin
ears usually denote delicacy and re-
tinement, and abnormally large and
thick ears are associated with a sensual
and coarse nature.
Ears of the first division are by far the
most common, while not more than one
person in fifty possesses the straight
lObed ear of the second division. This
peculiar-shaped ear is often hereditary,
and can be traced back in some fami-
lies for generations. People with musi-
cal tastes generally have large and
prominent ears. while the thin, angular
ear is said to denote bad temper and
cruelty. The ears of great philoso-
piers and statesmen have been no.
ticed to be large and sloping. Mr..
Gladstone's ear has Il curved, hanging
lobe, lies close to the head. and has
Il sioping position.
The Marquis of Salisbury's ear is
massive and well-proportioned, and
has also sloping position. The ear of
the great Napoleon was rather small,
well formed, with curved lobe. As
age increases, the ear becomes more
angular and marked. From our youth
upward the ear does not receive much
consideration. 1t is pinched to signify
pleasure, it is sometimes boxed to sig
nifty anger, and even pierced or bored
for ornamentation. This very ancient
but barbarous custom of piercing the
ears, which now, we are glad to OBJ
serv", is considered unfashionable has
spoiled and IisiigUrcd the shape of thou
sands Of ears through the perforation
OF the lobe for the purpose of wearing
earrings. 1t may well be hoped this
fashion will never be revived. Pal
litI (rLt-aftn