On a moderately smiling countenance the contraction of the upper orbicular
muscles can still just be traced by a slight lowering of the eyebrows.
The contraction of the lower orbicular and palpebral muscles is much plainer,
and is shown by the wrinkling of the lower eyelids and of the skin
beneath them, together with a slight drawing up of the upper lip.
From the broadest smile we pass by the finest steps into the gentlest one.
In this latter case the features are moved in a much less degree,
and much more slowly, and the mouth is kept closed. The curvature
of the naso-labial furrow is also slightly different in the two cases.
We thus see that no abrupt line of demarcation can be drawn between
the movement of the features during the most violent laughter and a
very faint smile.[16]
A smile, therefore, may be said to be the first stage in the development
of a laugh. But a different and more probable view may be suggested;
namely, that the habit of uttering load reiterated sounds from a sense
of pleasure, first led to the retraction of the corners of the mouth
and of the upper lip, and to the contraction of the orbicular muscles;
and that now, through association and long-continued habit,
the same muscles are brought into slight play whenever any cause
excites in us a feeling which, if stronger, would have led to laughter;
and the result is a smile.
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