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looked； at a word。 It was conscious in the fingers that reached out
flowers。 It ran with her。 It was silenced when she hushed her answers to
the king。 Everywhere it was close behind the doors … everywhere but in
her eyes。
How near at hand was it； then； in the living eyelids that expressed her
in their minute and instant and candid manner！ All her withdrawals；
every hesitation； fluttered there。 A flock of meanings and intelligences
alighted on those mobile edges。
Think； then； of all the famous eyes in the world； that said so much； and
said it in no other way but only by the little exquisite muscles of their lids。
How were these ever strong enough to bear the burden of those eyes of
Heathcliff's in 〃Wuthering Heights〃？ 〃The clouded windows of Hell
flashed a moment towards me； the fiend which usually looked out；
however； was so dimmed and drowned … 〃 That mourning fiend； who had
wept all night； had no expression； no proof or sign of himself； except in
the edges of the eyelids of the man。
And the eyes of Garrick？ Eyelids； again。 And the eyes of Charles
Dickens； that were said to contain the life of fifty men？ On the
mechanism of the eyelids hung that fifty…fold vitality。 〃Bacon had a
delicate； lively； hazel eye；〃 says Aubrey in his 〃Lives of Eminent Persons。〃
But nothing of this belongs to the eye except the colour。 Mere brightness
the eyeball has or has not； but so have many glass beads： the liveliness is
the eyelid's。 〃Dr Harvey told me it was like the eie of a viper。〃 So
intent and narrowed must have been the attitude of Bacon's eyelids。
〃I never saw such another eye in a human； head；〃 says Scott in
describing Burns； 〃though I have seen the most distinguished men in my
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THE COLOUR OF LIFE
time。 It was large； and of a dark cast； and glowed （I say literally glowed）
when he spoke with feeling or interest。 The eye alone； I think； indicated
the poetical character and temperament。〃 No eye literally glows； but some
eyes are polished a little more； and reflect。 And this is the utmost that
can possibly have been true as to the eyes of Burns。 But set within the
meanings of impetuous eyelids the lucidity of the dark eyes seemed
broken； moved； directed into fiery shafts。
See； too； the reproach of little； sharp； grey eyes addressed to Hazlitt。
There are neither large nor small eyes； say physiologists； or the difference
is so small as to be negligeable。 But in the eyelids the difference is great
between large and small； and also between the varieties of largeness。
Some have large openings； and some are in themselves broad and long；
serenely covering eyes called small。 Some have far more drawing than
others； and interesting foreshortenings and sweeping curves。
Where else is spirit so evident？ And where else is it so spoilt？ There
is no vulgarity like the vulgarity of vulgar eyelids。 They have a slang all
their own； of an intolerable kind。 And eyelids have looked all the cruel
looks that have ever made wounds in innocent souls meeting them
surprised。
But all love and all genius have winged their flight from those slight
and unmeasurable movements； have flickered on the margins of lovely
eyelids quick with thought。 Life； spirit； sweetness are there in a small
place； using the finest and the slenderest machinery； expressing meanings
a whole world apart； by a difference of material action so fine that the
sight which appreciates it cannot detect it； expressing intricacies of
intellect； so incarnate in slender and sensitive flesh that nowhere else in
the body of man is flesh so spiritual。
End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Colour of Life by Alice
Meynell
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