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ds; fists clenched; now thrown behind the body; now directed towards each other's faces。〃 Mr。 Swinhoe says that my description agrees with what he has seen of the Chinese; excepting that an angry man generally inclines his body towards his antagonist; and pointing at him; pours forth a volley of abuse。
Lastly; with respect to the natives of India; Mr。 J。 Scott has sent me a full description of their gestures and expression when enraged。 Two low…caste Bengalees disputed about a loan。 At first they were calm; but soon grew furious and poured forth the grossest abuse on each other's relations and progenitors for many generations past。 Their gestures were very different from those of Europeans; for though their chests were expanded and shoulders squared; their arms remained rigidly suspended; with the elbows turned inwards and the hands alternately clenched and opened。 Their shoulders were often raised high; and then again lowered。 They looked fiercely at each other from under their lowered and strongly wrinkled brows; and their protruded lips were firmly closed。 They approached each other; with heads and necks stretched forwards; and pushed; scratched; and grasped at each other。 This protrusion of the head and body seems a common gesture with the enraged; and I have noticed it with degraded English women whilst quarrelling violently in the streets。 In such cases it may be presumed that neither party expects to receive a blow from the other。
A Bengalee employed in the Botanic Gardens was accused; in the presence of Mr。 Scott; by the native overseer of having stolen a valuable plant。 He listened silently and scornfully to the accusation; his attitude erect; chest expanded; mouth closed; lips protruding; eyes firmly set and penetrating。 He then defiantly maintained his innocence; with upraised and clenched hands; his head being now pushed forwards; with the eyes widely open and eyebrows raised。 Mr。 Scott also watched two Mechis; in Sikhim; quarrelling about their share of payment。 They soon got into a furious passion; and then their bodies became less erect; with their heads pushed forwards; they made grimaces at each other; their shoulders were raised; their arms rigidly bent inwards at the elbows; and their hands spasmodically closed; but not properly clenched。 They continually approached and retreated from each other; and often raised their arms as if to strike; but their hands were open; and no blow was given。 Mr。 Scott made similar observations on the Lepchas whom he often saw quarrelling; and he noticed that they kept their arms rigid and almost parallel to their bodies; with the hands pushed somewhat backwards and partially closed; but not clenched。
_Sneering; Defiance: Uncovering the canine tooth on one side_。 The expression which I wish here to consider differs but little from that already described; when the lips are retracted and the grinning teeth exposed。 The difference consists solely in the upper lip being retracted in such a manner that the canine tooth on one side of the face alone is shown; the face itself being generally a little upturned and half averted from the person causing offence。 The other signs of rage are not necessarily present。 This expression may occasionally be observed in a person who sneers at or defies another; though there may be no real anger; as when any one is playfully accused of some fault; and answers; 〃I scorn the imputation。〃 The expression is not a common one; but I have seen it exhibited with perfect distinctness by a lady who was being quizzed by another person。 It was described by Parsons as long ago as 1746; with an engraving; showing the uncovered canine on one side。'14' Mr。 Rejlander; without my having made any allusion to the subject; asked me whether I had ever noticed this expression; as he had been much struck by it。 He has photographed for me (Plate IV。 fig 1) a lady; who sometimes unintentionally displays the canine on one side; and who can do so voluntarily with unusual distinctness。
The expression of a half…playful sneer graduates into one of great ferocity when; together with a heavily frowning brow and fierce eye; the canine tooth is exposed。 A Bengalee boy was accused before Mr。 Scott of some misdeed。 The delinquent did not dare to give vent to his wrath in words; but it was plainly shown on his countenance; sometimes by a defiant frown; and sometimes 〃by a thoroughly canine snarl。〃 When this was exhibited; 〃the corner of the lip over the eye…tooth; which happened in this case to be large and projecting; was raised on the side of his accuser; a strong frown being still retained on the brow。〃 Sir C。 Bell states'15' that the actor Cooke could express the most determined hate 〃when with the oblique cast of his eyes he drew up the outer part of the upper lip; and discovered a sharp angular tooth。〃
'14' Transact。 Philosoph。 Soc。; Appendix; 1746; p。 65。
The uncovering of the canine tooth is the result of a double movement。 The angle or corner of the mouth is drawn a little backwards; and at the same time a muscle which runs parallel to and near the nose draws up the outer part of the upper lip; and exposes the canine on this side of the face。 The contraction of this muscle makes a distinct furrow on the cheek; and produces strong wrinkles under the eye; especially at its inner corner。 The action is the same as that of a snarling dog; and a dog when pretending to fight often draws up the lip on one side alone; namely that facing his antagonist。 Our word _sneer_ is in fact the same as _snarl_; which was originally _snar_; the _l_ 〃being merely an element implying continuance of action。〃'16'
I suspect that we see a trace of this same expression in what is called a derisive or sardonic smile。 The lips are then kept joined or almost joined; but one corner of the mouth is retracted on the side towards the derided person; and this drawing back of the corner is part of a true sneer。 Although some persons smile more on one side of their face than on the other; it is not easy to understand why in cases of derision the smile; if a real one; should so commonly be confined to one side。 I have also on these occasions noticed a slight twitching of the muscle which draws up the outer part of the upper lip; and this movement; if fully carried out; would have uncovered the canine; and would have produced a true sneer。
'15' ‘Anatomy of Expression;' p。 136。 Sir C。 Bell calls (p。 131) the muscles which uncover the canines the snarling muscles。
'16' Hensleigh Wedgwood; ‘Dictionary of English Etymology;' 1865; vol。 iii。 pp。 240; 243。
Mr。 Bulmer; an Australian missionary in a remote part of Gipps' Land; says; in answer to my query about the uncovering of the canine on one side; 〃I find that the natives in snarling at each other speak with the teeth closed; the upper lip drawn to one side; and a general angry expression of face; but they look direct at the person addressed。〃 Three other observers in Australia; one in Abyssinia; and one in China; answer my query on this head in the affirmative; but as the expression is rare; and as they enter into no details; I am afraid of implicitly trusting them。 It is; however; by no means improbable that this a