Ɛpsilon

To W. E. Darwin   22 [March 1868]1

22d

My dear W.

Thanks about Langstaff.2 As you are one of the few persons who can remember to observe expression, I shall often bother you with queries.—

Remember to observe a suppressed yawn, to see whether depressor angulioris, cannot be so well prevented acting as the other muscles.— This was your observation & if confirmed. wd be of value.—3

The Boss4 says that when you scratch a tickling point, you close your eyelids violently (& so do I)— do tears come at all into your eyes?5

Your affect. F. | C. Darwin

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter, the note dated 14 March 1868 in DAR 160: 97 (see n. 3, below), and the letter to W. E. Darwin, 8 April [1868].
2
William communicated information from Charles Langstaff on the movements of the facial muscles during weeping. See letter from W. E. Darwin, 5 March [1868].
3
In a note dated 14 March 1868 (DAR 160: 97), CD recorded William’s observations of a woman checking a yawn at a concert, including the movement of the depressor anguli oris muscle.
5
CD remarked that tears were secreted whenever the eyelids were strongly contracted, regardless of whether any emotion was experienced (Expression, p. 163).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

2.1 cannot 2.2] after del ‘acts so’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-8396,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-8396