The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-02-22
CHARACTER IN EARS.
Great Variety in Their Form,
Size and Shape.
An Organ Which Receives Lit
tie Consideration.


the outward form of our organ Of hear
ing, and even artists do not give it
much consideration as rule, yet the
formation and shape of the car, says
q writer in the Pail Nal Gazette,
twill amply repay those who give it
close attention. Our modern portrait
painters seldom go into minute detail
over it. They seem content with a
general outline and rough touch here
and there, showing the principal
points. The sculptors are moro partic-
ular, especially among the antique; one
seldom sees a good piec, of statuary
withou: noticing that great care has
been taken to correctly model the ear,
and it was regarded as worthy of study.
A WELL formed ear is thing of great
beauty, and, like all other works of
the Cree. u, is exquisitely adapted and
designed for the function it performs,
that of collecting and concentrating the
undulations Of sound.
sowing to the immense variety of
size and form in cars, 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.
'Besidcs the pcculiaritics of shape,
the ear may be large or small, protrud-
ing or fat, and straight or sloping.
Some cars have pointed tops, while
Others have straight. Small and thin
ears usually denote de,cacy and refine
ment, aai abnormally large, thick cars
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 fif:J posse7:es the straight
lObe-I ear Of tha second division. This
peculiar. shaped car is often hereditary,
and can be traced back in some fami-
lies for generations. P.op'c with fiji
steal tastes generally have large and
prominent cars, while the thin angular
car is said to denote bad temper and
cruelty. The ears Of great philosophers
and statesmen have been noticel to be
large and slipping. Nr. Giadstone's car
has curved hanging lobe, lies close to
his head, and has a sloping position.
.EaEs vary greatly in form and size,
and the poculia-ities 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
closer to the heal. Sons people pos
ssss singular muscular power over the
ear, and can move the upper part with
will, but it is rarely met with. The
ear is worth tulying from an anatom-
ical point of view. Beginning with
the outer fold or ridge, called the
helix, which forms the outline, the car
Is composed of thin cartilage ami in.
tegument. 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 core
spending knob on the other side the
tragus. The deep well in the centre
OF the car is the concha, and, last of
oil, the feshy part below is called the
'obule. The concha, so callei from its
she'll like form, plays the most impor.
rant part in rejecting the vibrations
into the inner ear; in fact, all these
proJection' aad depressions are of i'm
portance to our hearing. and play their
own parts in conve1 iny the fluctuations
OF sound to the drum of the ear.
The Marquis of. Salisbiry's ear is
massive AMI well proporioncd. and has
also sloping position. The ear of the
great Napoleon was rather small |, we'll
formed, with carved lobe. As age in.
0eses the car becomes more angular
and marked. From our youth upward
the ear does not receive much considsra-