Volume 1

Human physiognomy explain'd: in the Crounian Lectures on muscular motion. For the year MDCCXLVI. Read before the Royal Society / By James Parsons, M.D. and F.R.S. Being a supplement to the Philosophical Transactions for that year.

James Parsons

Date:: 1747

Credit: Human physiognomy explain'd: in the Crounian Lectures on muscular motion. For the year MDCCXLVI. Read before the Royal Society / By James Parsons, M.D. and F.R.S. Being a supplement to the Philosophical Transactions for that year. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$[ rs] as the Mouth, Bladder, gc. when they act without’ Reftraint; and therefore, fince thofe circular Fibres, which alone are to be call’d the Ordicularis, can only act by purfling themfelves up round, they have no Sharé in fhutting the Eye; which is done by the bringing down of the upper Lid alone, as I have faid already; and, confequently, only ferve to draw to- gether the Skin of the Face all round, clofing up the Eye with more Violence, and at the fame time dif: torting the Face; forthe Eye-lids are naturally thut down,, without the leaft Difcompofure of the Coun- tenance ; whereas this Motion of the Orbicularis is one of the Expreflions of Pain and Anguith; or: ufed to defend the Eyes from Duft, or the glaring. Rays of the Sun when the Eyes are weak. XXII. Another fHort Obfervation, worthy of Note, is; that no one can lift up the Eye-lids to their utmoft Height, without looking upwards, that is, without: raifing up the Pupil of the Eye at the fame time,. except a particular Paflion urges the contrary ;_ becaufe the Mufcle which. lifts up the Lid, when there is an. Intent to raife it very high, draws the Mu/fculus at- tollens,.or Elevator of the Eye,.into Confent, and makes it a& too; for they both arife from Points that are very near cach other; and the Aperiens Pal: pebram \ies upon the ‘Astollens, or Elevator. of the Eye, in its whole Length. And this: Confent. be- tween them is reciprocal ; the fole Reafon for-it be-. ing, that, when there is a Neceflity of looking up at an Object, the Lid. fhould be. pull’d up out of the: Way.. XXIII:$