Labium

“ The grubs are apodal, thicker in the middle than at either end; the mandibles bear three teeth; the maxillae and labium are represented by fleshy tubercles. The body, exclusive of the head, consists of thirteen segments, which bear lateral tubercles and spiracles. ”

“ The distal parts of the labium, such as the ligula, palpifer, and palpus are elaborated before the mentum and submentum. Many details as to the final changes in the mouth-parts before hatching remain to be worked out.
550The thoracic appendages.—The three pairs of legs arise at the same period and in the same manner in all insects; it is not until the end of embryonic life that they become jointed, and that the claws and onychia are developed. Especial attention has not yet been given to the details of the development of the parts of the last joint of the tarsus. ”

“ THE MOUTH, TEETH, JAW AND CHIN
A mouth to be beautiful should be in harmony as regards proportion with the rest of the features of the face; that is, it should be neither remarkably large nor remarkably small. Neither the upper nor the lower lip should project beyond the other when the mouth is closed. The lips should shut easily over the teeth, and in doing so should fall into a flowing line of curves without compression. The more the lips are endowed with motion and the more richly they are coloured, the finer and more delicate are the human passions they indicate. ”

“ The peculiar V-shaped mouth with its pointed upper lip, the absence of brow ridges, the absence of a chin beneath the wedge-like lower lip, the incessant quivering of this mouth, the Gorgon groups of tentacles, the tumultuous breathing of the lungs in a strange atmosphere, the evident heaviness and painfulness of movement, due to the greater gravitational energy of the earth—above all, the extraordinary intensity of the immense eyes—culminated in an effect akin to nausea. ”

“ These three lips can be brought together, and form a valve. The lateral lips are very narrow at the mouth or rostral end of the orifice, where the hairy lancet-shaped crest of the labrum closes the orifice, and largely expand towards the posterior end: they are produced from the inner tunic of the sack: they appear formed of the finest hairs, placed parallel and approximate, but when examined under the highest powers, these hairs (for they still appear such) are found to be united by delicate membrane, which has its extreme edge fimbriated. ”

“ The greater lips develop in the fœtus later than the lesser lips, which are thus at first uncovered; this condition thus constitutes an infantile state which occasionally (in less than 2 per cent. of cases, according to Bergh) persists in the adult. Their generally accepted name, labia majora, is comparatively modern. [82]
The outer sides of the labia majora are covered with hair, and on the inner sides, which are smooth and moist, but are not true mucous membrane, there are a few sweat glands and numerous large sebaceous glands. ”

“ Well-defined, large, and proportionate lips, the middle line of which is equally serpentine on both sides, and easy to be drawn, are never seen in a bad, mean, common, false, vicious countenance. A lipless mouth, resembling a single line, denotes coldness, industry, a love of order, precision, house-wifery, and, if it be drawn upwards at the two ends, affectation, pretension, vanity, malice. Very fleshy lips have always to contend with sensuality and [Pg 198] indolence. ”

“ Neither acrid ulcer nor shiny pustules, neither disfigured chin nor foul scabs, nor lips anointed with pink salve, nor the drop at the tip of a frozen nose will save you. They kiss a man sweating with heat and starving with cold, nay! even a man keeping his lips pure for the nuptial kiss. ”

“ A mouth with full lips, but in which one side of the lower lip is larger and fuller than the other, was said by the old writers to denote ardour in love and general sensuousness. It is one of the signatures of Venus.
A wart just above the upper lip shows a coarse and cruel nature; a mole in the same place, love of the opposite sex.
Of course, the shape and placing of the teeth are not without significance in the character given by the mouth. When the upper gum shows above the teeth directly the lips are open, it is a sign of a selfish and phlegmatic nature. ”

“ His mouth also marks a supreme sadness, which depresses the lower lip and seems to weigh upon it, while the upper lip, contracted from the top to the bottom, expresses at once both physical suffering and that of the soul. Under the mouth there is an expression of indignation that seems to protest against an undeserved suffering, and is revealed in the nostrils, which swell out and enlarge and draw upwards. ”

“ We not merely see the delicate, thin, pale lips, thrown back head and neck, and the wide-opened, dilated, greyish eyes; we imagine in our mind the vague delights after which those lips are thirsting as the half-closed pale flowers thirst for the rain-drops, the ecstasy of fulfilled hope which makes the veins of the neck pulse and the head fall back in weariness of inner quivering ”

“ Look upon the lips: their lively colour, freshness, figure, seat, and proportion, with the other features, render the face most beautiful. The mouth, by the correspondence of its motions with those of the eyes, animates, gladdens, suddens, softens, or troubles the face, and by sensible marks expresses every passion. The lips not only open to receive food, but by their suppleness and the variety of their motions serve likewise to vary the sounds that form speech. ”

“ The labrum, or upper lip, has a vertical motion, and when not in use falls over the organs beneath it; while it is covered, in its turn, by the mandibles, which are jointed on to the cheeks, and act laterally.
The pharynx is a cavity lying beneath the epipharynx, and can be closed by the latter, over which the two previously described parts lap, so that the entrance to the œsophagus is trebly protected. ”

“ The floor of the mouth can only be seen when the tongue is raised, then the reflection of the mucous membrane from the gums to it is exposed. In the mid-line is a prominent fold called the fraenum linguae, and on each side of this a sublingua papilla, on to the summit of which the duct of the submaxillary gland opens. Running outward and backward from this is a ridge called the plica sublingualis, which marks the upper edge of the sublingual gland, and on to which most of the ducts of that gland open. ”

“ Growing down from the region of the fore-brain is the fronto-nasal process, which forms the nose and the middle piece of the upper lip, while the lateral parts of the mouth are closed in by two processes, on each side of which the lower or mandibular process rapidly meets its fellow in the mid-line to form the lower jaw and lip, thus separating the heart from the mouth cavity. ”

“ The mouth should be small, and the lips not of equal thickness; they should be well turned, small rather than gross, soft even to the eye, and with a living red in them. A truly pretty mouth is like a red rose-bud that is beginning to blow. ”

“ The same causes apply naturally to both lips, whether the defect be unilateral, bilateral, or median. Some of these deformities are more often met with than others, as, for instance, a median deficiency of the upper lip following cicatricial contraction due to a harelip operation [315] done early in life; in elderly patients a partial paralysis is found to affect one half the upper and sometimes a part of the lower lip, giving to the mouth a drooped and grinning appearance. ”

“ The nostrils should be dilated as much as possible, as a free, wide, open nose gives a free, well-rounded tone, while a contracted nostril induces the nasal tone so much dreaded. A proper training of the facial muscles makes this dilation possible. Lifting the upper lip and projecting it forward aids the action to a great degree.
There is a strong tendency to unity of action between the nostrils and the lips and the soft palate. ”

“ The lips, extending 15 to 20 feet in length, and 5 or 6 in height, and forming the cavity of the mouth, are attached to the under-jaw, and rise from the jaw-bones, at an angle of about 80 degrees, having the appearance, when viewed in front, of the letter U. The upper jaw, including the 'crown-bone,' or skull, is bent down at the extremity, so as to shut the front and upper parts of the cavity of the mouth, and is overlapped by the lips in a squamous manner at the sides. ”

“ This is the lower lip with its two palpi. It is flanked right and left by two other parts, likewise fleshy, adhering closely to the lip and bearing at the tip a rudimentary palp consisting of two or three very tiny joints. These two parts are the future jaws. All this apparatus of lips and jaws is completely immobile and in a rudimentary condition which is difficult to describe. They are budding organs, still faint and embryonic. The labrum and the complicated lamina formed by the lip and the jaws leave between them a narrow slit in which the mandibles work. ”

“ The lower lip, very full, does not pout, but falls curtain-like towards the chin. It is the lip of a sensualist, and yet of one whose sensuality has not clogged but stimulated the digestive processes of his brain. ”

“ As before shown, the soft palate is constantly being used more or less, and when it and the tongue unite in action so as to cut off the mouth cavity, or, more strictly, the anterior portion of it, from the nasal chambers, a very pronounced modification in the tone results, and, of necessity, such actual escape of breath as occurs takes place through the nose. In reality, there is a special modification of the shape of the resonance-chambers for every tone produced, and especially when the color or quality is changed, as well as the pitch. ”

“ The posterior part of its surface, where there is a Λ-shaped group of large papillæ, called circumvallate papillæ, supplied by the glosso-pharyngeal nerve, and the tip and margins of the tongue, covered with filiform (touch) papillæ and fungiform papillæ, are the chief localities where taste is manifested, but it also exists in the glosso-palatine arch and the lateral part of the soft palate. The middle of the tongue and the surface of the hard palate are devoid of taste. ”

“ The women suffer but little from this barbarous custom: a small spiral figure on each side the chin, a semicircular figure over each eye-brow, and two, or sometimes three lines, on each lip, are all they are required to submit to. Their lips are naturally thin, and well formed, but so preposterous are their ideas of beauty, that they endeavour to render them as thick as possible by this operation. ”

“ The Mouth and Lips are, on the contrary, extremely susceptible of changes; and, if the eyes express the passions of the soul, the mouth seems more peculiarly to correspond with the emotions of the heart. The rosy bloom of the lips, and the ivory white of the teeth, complete the charms of the human face divine. ”

“ The lips are drawn tight,—the lips that neither laugh nor kiss. The clasped hands are emaciated and of waxen whiteness. Bitter thoughts seem to hover around the pale forehead,—cruel doubt and insistent remorse. An expression of appalling incertitude, the terror of faith stripped of celestial consolation are there. Incoherent, rebellious words come from the lips. ”

“ Upper labials nine to eleven (rarely eight) , fourth and fifth (rarely third and fourth) below the eye. Four or five lower labials in contact with the single pair of chin-shields.
Scales in twenty-one rows, with two apical pits, strongly keeled, outer row smooth or feebly keeled. Ventral shields 125 to 146 in males, 135 to 147 in females; anal entire; subcaudals 35 to 45 in males, 32 to 38 in females.
Coloration.—Grey or brown above, the back often paler than the sides, with a broad darker, usually black-edged, wavy or zigzag band along the spine, and a lateral series of spots (Plate XIII.) ”

“ Whatever the degree of opening, the jaw should never be allowed to become stiffly set, nor the tongue nor lips to be held tight, in any degree or way. These faults cause a tightening in the throat, and affect the character of the tone. It will generally be advantage to the tone if the lips are trained to be very slightly protruding, in bell shape, and if the corners of the mouth be not allowed to droop, but be made very slightly to curve upward. ”

“ Of large frame, tall and broad-shouldered, with heavy massive face, high cheek-bones, a careworn dark blue eye, large straight nose, and compressed lips,—the under lip projecting slightly,—he would have been pointed out anywhere as a man not easily to be led. ”

“ With a little practice it will soon become easy to speak without moving the jaw, and it is the movements of the jaw which disturb the features. The labial sounds, such as b, p, m, when the jaw is thus fixed, can be made with the slightest possible motion of the lips. During ventriloquy, the lips and jaws being always more or less open, this slight labial movement generally remains unnoticed, unless special attention be directed to it. Practice, too, should be made to produce all the modifications of the voice without distorting the features or moving the lips more than is absolutely necessary. ”

“ The bright eyes become dull and fishy, and the skin loses its glossy smoothness. In time a slight break appears to run in the line of demarkation between the mucous membrane of the mouth and the outer skin, along the edge of the lips. ”

“ What is it that those vast, protruding lips, those impassively-dilated, up-turned nostrils, and those eyes, those long, half-sleepy, half-watchful eyes, beneath the double arch of the lofty brows, are trying to say? ”

“ In youth the cheek is slightly rounded out from the lip, and in a side view it is usually the outline of the cheek which makes the little line at the corner of the lips in the Lefebvre and the Grellet Young Girl, and always in the side view of a baby’s head; but as the head becomes less babyish it is the muscles of the lips which cause this line. The muscles of the lips are exactly like those of the eye ”