Selections from Sens-Plastique*

Chins are exclusively human features, not to be found among animals. If they had chins, most animals would look like each other. Man was given the chin to keep the personality of his mouth and eyes from overwhelming the rest of his face, so that each individual might not become almost a species unto itself. If this were to happen, the universal ties of resemblance which make a composite race of humanity would be in danger of disappearing.

*

We can see two objects at the same time but not two faces because the human face is complete in itself, whereas any and every object is never more than a particle of some entirety. Only the human face can milk our glance dry. 

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The reason the old in no way resemble the younger people around them is that they are always crinkling their eyes and souring their looks. Nothing ages you more than what you involuntarily do with your eyes.

~ Malcolm de Chazal, translated by Irving Weiss ~

 

*additional selections from Sens-Plastique appear in the print version of Sleepingfish 0.875

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