the expression of emotion in man and animals-第33节

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e　seen；　like　those　caused　by　tapping　the　eyelids　with　the　fingers；　〃but　in　sneezing　the　compression　is　both　more　rapid　and　more　forcible；　and　the　sparks　are　more　brilliant。〃　That　these　sparks　are　due　to　the　contraction　of　the　eyelids　is　clear；　because　if　they　〃are　held　open　during　the　act　of　sneezing；　no　sensation　of　light　will　be　experienced。〃　In　the　peculiar　cases　referred　to　by　Professor　Donders　and　Mr。　Bowman；　we　have　seen　that　some　weeks　after　the　eye　has　been　very　slightly　injured；　spasmodic　contractions　of　the　eyelids　ensue；　and　these　are　accompanied　by　a　profuse　flow　of　tears。　In　the　act　of　yawning；　the　tears　are　apparently　due　solely　to　the　spasmodic　contraction　of　the　muscles　round　the　eyes。　Notwithstanding　these　latter　cases；　it　seems　hardly　credible　that　the　pressure　of　the　eyelids　on　the　surface　of　the　eye；　although　effected　spasmodically　and　therefore　with　much　greater　force　than　can　be　done　voluntarily；　should　be　sufficient　to　cause　by　reflex　action　the　secretion　of　tears　in　the　many　cases　in　which　this　occurs　during　violent　expiratory　efforts。


＇23＇　See；　on　these　several　points；　Prof。　Donders　‘On　the　Anomalies　of　Accommodation　and　Refraction　of　the　Eye；'　1864；　p。　　573。

Another　cause　may　come　conjointly　into　play。　We　have　seen　that　the　internal　parts　of　the　eye；　under　certain　conditions　act　in　a　reflex　manner　on　the　lacrymal　glands。　We　know　that　during　violent　expiratory　efforts　the　pressure　of　the　arterial　blood　within　the　vessels　of　the　eye　is　increased；　and　that　the　return　of　the　venous　blood　is　impeded。　It　seems；　therefore；　not　improbable　that　the　distension　of　the　ocular　vessels；　thus　induced；　might　act　by　reflection　on　the　lacrymal　glandsthe　effects　due　to　the　spasmodic　pressure　of　the　eyelids　on　the　surface　of　the　eye　being　thus　increased。

In　considering　how　far　this　view　is　probable；　we　should　bear　in　mind　that　the　eyes　of　infants　have　been　acted　on　in　this　double　manner　during　numberless　generations；　whenever　they　have　screamed；　and　on　the　principle　of　nerve…force　readily　passing　along　accustomed　channels；　even　a　moderate　compression　of　the　eyeballs　and　a　moderate　distension　of　the　ocular　vessels　would　ultimately　come；　through　habit；　to　act　on　the　glands。　We　have　an　analogous　case　in　the　orbicular　muscles　being　almost　always　contracted　in　some　slight　degree；　even　during　a　gentle　crying…fit；　when　there　can　be　no　distension　of　the　vessels　and　no　uncomfortable　sensation　excited　within　the　eyes。

Moreover；　when　complex　actions　or　movements　have　long　been　performed　in　strict　association　together；　and　these　are　from　any　cause　at　first　voluntarily　and　afterwards　habitually　checked；　then　if　the　proper　exciting　conditions　occur；　any　part　of　the　action　or　movement　which　is　least　under　the　control　of　the　will；　will　often　still　be　involuntarily　performed。　The　secretion　by　a　gland　is　remarkably　free　from　the　influence　of　the　will；　therefore；　when　with　the　advancing　age　of　the　individual；　or　with　the　advancing　culture　of　the　race；　the　habit　of　crying　out　or　screaming　is　restrained；　and　there　is　consequently　no　distension　of　the　blood…vessels　of　the　eye；　it　may　nevertheless　well　happen　that　tears　should　still　be　secreted。　　We　may　see；　as　lately　remarked；　the　muscles　round　the　eyes　of　a　person　who　reads　a　pathetic　story；　twitching　or　trembling　in　so　slight　a　degree　as　hardly　to　be　detected。　In　this　case　there　has　been　no　screaming　and　no　distension　of　the　blood…vessels；　yet　through　habit　certain　nerve…cells　send　a　small　amount　of　nerve…force　to　the　cells　commanding　the　muscles　round　the　eyes；　and　they　likewise　send　some　to　the　cells　commanding　the　lacrymal　glands；　for　the　eyes　often　become　at　the　same　time　just　moistened　with　tears。　If　the　twitching　of　the　muscles　round　the　eyes　and　the　secretion　of　tears　had　been　completely　prevented；　nevertheless　it　is　almost　certain　that　there　would　have　been　some　tendency　to　transmit　nerve…force　in　these　same　directions；　and　as　the　lacrymal　glands　are　remarkably　free　from　the　control　of　the　will；　they　would　be　eminently　liable　still　to　act；　thus　betraying；　though　there　were　no　other　outward　signs；　the　pathetic　thoughts　which　were　passing　through　the　person's　mind。

As　a　further　illustration　of　the　view　here　advanced；　I　may　remark　that　if；　during　an　early　period　of　life；　when　habits　of　all　kinds　are　readily　established；　our　infants；　when　pleased；　had　been　accustomed　to　utter　loud　peals　of　laughter　（during　which　the　vessels　of　their　eyes　are　distended）　as　often　and　as　continuously　as　they　have　yielded　when　distressed　to　screaming…fits；　then　it　is　probable　that　in　after　life　tears　would　have　been　as　copiously　and　as　regularly　secreted　under　the　one　state　of　mind　as　under　the　other。　Gentle　laughter；　or　a　smile；　or　even　a　pleasing　thought；　would　have　sufficed　to　cause　a　moderate　secretion　of　tears。　There　does　indeed　exist　an　evident　tendency　in　this　direction；　as　will　be　seen　in　a　future　chapter；　when　we　treat　of　the　tender　feelings。　With　the　Sandwich　Islanders；　according　to　Freycinet；＇24＇　tears　are　actually　recognized　as　a　sign　of　happiness；　but　we　should　require　better　evidence　on　this　head　than　that　of　a　passing　voyager。　So　again　if　our　infants；　during　many　generations；　and　each　of　them　during　several　years；　had　almost　daily　suffered　from　prolonged　choking…fits；　during　which　the　vessels　of　the　eye　are　distended　and　tears　copiously　secreted；　then　it　is　probable；　such　is　the　force　of　associated　habit；　that　during　after　life　the　mere　thought　of　a　choke；　without　any　distress　of　mind；　would　have　sufficed　to　bring　tears　into　our　eyes。

To　sum　up　this　chapter；　weeping　is　probably　the　result　of　some　such　chain　of　events　as　follows。　　Children；　when　wanting　food　or　suffering　in　any　way；　cry　out　loudly；　like　the　young　of　most　other　animals；　partly　as　a　call　to　their　parents　for　aid；　and　partly　from　any　great　exertion　serving　relief。　Prolonged　screaming　inevitably　leads　to　the　gorging　of　the　blood…vessels　of　the　eye；　and　this　will　have　led；　at　first　consciously　and　at　last　habitually；　to　the　contraction　of　the　muscles　round　the　eyes　in　order　to　protect　them。　At　the　same　time　the　spasmodic　pressure　on　the　surface　of　the　eye；　and　the　distension　of　the　vessels　within　the　eye；　without　necessarily　entailing　any　conscious　sensation；　will　have　affected；　through　reflex　action；　the　lacrymal　glands。　　Finally；　through　the　three　principles　of　nerve…force　readily　passing　along　accustomed　channelsof　association；　which　is　so　widely　extended　in　its　powerand　of　certain　actions；　being　more　under　the　control　of　the　will　than　othersit　has　come　to　pass　that　suffering　readily　causes　the　secretion　of　tears；　without　being　necessarily　accompanied　by　any　other　action。


＇24＇　Quoted　by　Sir　J。　Lubbock；　‘Prehistoric　Times；'　1865；　p。　　458。

Although　in　accordance　with　this　view　we　must　look　at　weeping　as　an　incidental　result；　as　purposeless　as　the　secretion　of　tears　from　a　blow　outside　the　eye；　or　as　a　sneeze　from　the　retina　being　affected　by　a　bright　light；　yet　this　does　not　present　any　difficulty　in　our　understanding　how　the　secretion　of　tears　serves　as　a　relief　to　suffering。　　And　by　as　much　as　the　weeping　is　more　violent　or　hysterical；　by　so　much　will　the　relief　be　greater；　on　the　same　principle　that　the　writhing　of　the　whole　body；　the　grinding　of　the　teeth；　and　the　uttering　of　piercing　shrieks；　all　give　relief　under　an　agony　of　pain。　　CHAPTER　VII。

LOW　SPIRITS；　ANXIETY；　GRIEF；　DEJECTION；　DESPAIR。

General　effect　of　grief　on　the　systemObliquity　of　the　eyebrows　under　sufferingOn　the　cause　of　the　obliquity　of　the　eyebrows　On　the　depression　of　the　corners　of　the　mouth。


AFTER　the　mind　has　suffered　from　an　acute　paroxysm　of　grief；　and　the　cause　still　continues；　we　fall　into　a　state　of　low　spirits；　or　we　may　be　utterly　cast　down　and　dejected。　　Prolonged　bodily　pain；　if　not　amounting　to　an　agony；　generally　leads　to　the　same　state　of　mind。　If　we　expect　to　suffer；　we　are　anxious；　if　we　have　no　hope　of　relief；　we　despair。

Persons　suffering　from　excessive　grief　often　seek　relief　by　violent　and　almost　frantic　movements；　as　described　in　a　former　chapter；　but　when　their　suffering　is　somewhat　mitigated；　yet　prolonged；　they　no　longer　wish　for　action；　but　remain　motionless　and　passive；　or　may　occasionally　rock　themselves　to　and　fro。　The　circulation　becomes　languid；　the　face　pale；　the　muscles　flaccid；　the　eyelids　droop；　the　head　hangs　on　the　contracted　chest；　the　lips；　checks；　and　lower　jaw　all　sink　downwards　from　their　own　weight。　　Hence　all　the　features　are　lengthened；　and　the　face　of　a　person　who　hears　bad　news　is　said　to　fall。　A　party　of　natives　in　Tierra　del　Fuego　endeavoured　to　explain　to　us　that　their　friend；　the　captain　of　a　sealing　vessel；　was　out　of　spirits；　by　pulling　down　their　cheeks　with　both　hands；　so　as　to　make　their　faces　as　long　as　possible。　Mr。　Bunnet　informs　me　that　the　Australian　aborigines　when　out　of　spirits　have　a　chop…fallen　appearance。　　After　prolonged　suffering　the　eyes　become　dull　and　lack　expression；　and　are　often　slightly　suffused　with　tears。　　The　eyebrows　not　rarely　are　rendered　oblique；　which　is　due　to　their　inner　ends　being　raised。　This　produces　peculiarly…formed　wrinkles　on　the　forehead；　which　are　very　different　from　those　of　a　simple　frown；　though　in　some　cases　a　frown　alone　may　be　pr