the expression of emotion in man and animals-第70节

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ing　away　the　eyes　and　face；　as　if　the　despised　person　were　not　worth　looking　at；　would　not　probably　have　been　acquired　until　a　much　later　period。

Of　all　expressions；　blushing　seems　to　be　the　most　strictly　human；　yet　it　is　common　to　all　or　nearly　all　the　races　of　man；　whether　or　not　any　change　of　colour　is　visible　in　their　skin。　　The　relaxation　of　the　small　arteries　of　the　surface；　on　which　blushing　depends；　seems　to　have　primarily　resulted　from　earnest　attention　directed　to　the　appearance　of　our　own　persons；　especially　of　our　faces；　aided　by　habit；　inheritance；　and　the　ready　flow　of　nerve…force　along　accustomed　channels；　and　afterwards　to　have　been　extended　by　the　power　of　association　to　self…attention　directed　to　moral　conduct。　It　can　hardly　be　doubted　that　many　animals　are　capable　of　appreciating　beautiful　colours　and　even　forms；　as　is　shown　by　the　pains　which　the　individuals　of　one　sex　take　in　displaying　their　beauty　before　those　of　the　opposite　sex。　　But　it　does　not　seem　possible　that　any　animal；　until　its　mental　powers　had　been　developed　to　an　equal　or　nearly　equal　degree　with　those　of　man；　would　have　closely　considered　and　been　sensitive　about　its　own　personal　appearance。　Therefore　we　may　conclude　that　blushing　originated　at　a　very　late　period　in　the　long　line　of　our　descent。

From　the　various　facts　just　alluded　to；　and　given　in　the　course　of　this　volume；　it　follows　that；　if　the　structure　of　our　organs　of　respiration　and　circulation　had　differed　in　only　a　slight　degree　from　the　state　in　which　they　now　exist；　most　of　our　expressions　would　have　been　wonderfully　different。　A　very　slight　change　in　the　course　of　the　arteries　and　veins　which　run　to　the　head；　would　probably　have　prevented　the　blood　from　accumulating　in　our　eyeballs　during　violent　expiration；　for　this　occurs　in　extremely　few　quadrupeds。　　In　this　case　we　should　not　have　displayed　some　of　our　most　characteristic　expressions。　If　man　had　breathed　water　by　the　aid　of　external　branchiae　（though　the　idea　is　hardly　conceivable）；　instead　of　air　through　his　mouth　and　nostrils；　his　features　would　not　have　expressed　his　feelings　much　more　efficiently　than　now　do　his　hands　or　limbs。　Rage　and　disgust；　however；　would　still　have　been　shown　by　movements　about　the　lips　and　mouth；　and　the　eyes　would　have　become　brighter　or　duller　according　to　the　state　of　the　circulation。　If　our　ears　had　remained　movable；　their　movements　would　have　been　highly　expressive；　as　is　the　case　with　all　the　animals　which　fight　with　their　teeth；　and　we　may　infer　that　our　early　progenitors　thus　fought；　as　we　still　uncover　the　canine　tooth　on　one　side　when　we　sneer　at　or　defy　any　one；　and　we　uncover　all　our　teeth　when　furiously　enraged。


The　movements　of　expression　in　the　face　and　body；　whatever　their　origin　may　have　been；　are　in　themselves　of　much　importance　for　our　welfare。　They　serve　as　the　first　means　of　communication　between　the　mother　and　her　infant；　she　smiles　approval；　and　thus　encourages　her　child　on　the　right　path；　or　frowns　disapproval。　　We　readily　perceive　sympathy　in　others　by　their　expression；　our　sufferings　are　thus　mitigated　and　our　pleasures　increased；　and　mutual　good　feeling　is　thus　strengthened。　The　movements　of　expression　give　vividness　and　energy　to　our　spoken　words。　They　reveal　the　thoughts　and　intentions　of　others　more　truly　than　do　words；　which　may　be　falsified。　　Whatever　amount　of　truth　the　so…called　science　of　physiognomy　may　contain；　appears　to　depend；　as　Haller　long　ago　remarked；＇4＇　on　different　persons　bringing　into　frequent　use　different　facial　muscles；　according　to　their　dispositions；　the　development　of　these　muscles　being　perhaps　thus　increased；　and　the　lines　or　furrows　on　the　face；　due　to　their　habitual　contraction；　being　thus　rendered　deeper　and　more　conspicuous。　The　free　expression　by　outward　signs　of　an　emotion　intensifies　it。　On　the　other　hand；　the　repression；　as　far　as　this　is　possible；　of　all　outward　signs　softens　our　emotions。＇5＇　He　who　gives　way　to　violent　gestures　will　increase　his　rage；　he　who　does　not　control　the　signs　of　fear　will　experience　fear　in　a　greater　degree；　and　he　who　remains　passive　when　overwhelmed　with　grief　loses　his　best　chance　of　recovering　elasticity　of　mind。　These　results　follow　partly　from　the　intimate　relation　which　exists　between　almost　all　the　emotions　and　their　outward　manifestations；　and　partly　from　the　direct　influence　of　exertion　on　the　heart；　and　consequently　on　the　brain。　Even　the　simulation　of　an　emotion　tends　to　arouse　it　in　our　minds。　Shakespeare；　who　from　his　wonderful　knowledge　of　the　human　mind　ought　to　be　an　excellent　judge；　says：

　Is　it　not　monstrous　that　this　player　here；　　But　in　a　fiction；　in　a　dream　of　passion；　　Could　force　his　soul　so　to　his　own　conceit；　　That；　from　her　working；　all　his　visage　wann'd；　　Tears　in　his　eyes；　distraction　in　's　aspect；　　A　broken　voice；　and　his　whole　function　suiting　　With　forms　to　his　conceit？　And　all　for　nothing！　_Hamlet_；　act　ii。　　sc。　　2。



＇4＇　Quoted　by　Moreau；　in　his　edition　of　Lavater；　1820；　tom。　　iv。　　p。　　211。

We　have　seen　that　the　study　of　the　theory　of　expression　confirms　to　a　certain　limited　extent　the　conclusion　that　man　is　derived　from　some　lower　animal　form；　and　supports　the　belief　of　the　specific　or　sub…specific　unity　of　the　several　races；　but　as　far　as　my　judgment　serves；　such　confirmation　was　hardly　needed。　　We　have　also　seen　that　expression　in　itself；　or　the　language　of　the　emotions；　as　it　has　sometimes　been　called；　is　certainly　of　importance　for　the　welfare　of　mankind。　To　understand；　as　far　as　possible；　the　source　or　origin　of　the　various　expressions　which　may　be　hourly　seen　on　the　faces　of　the　men　around　us；　not　to　mention　our　domesticated　animals；　ought　to　possess　much　interest　for　us。　　From　these　several　causes；　we　may　conclude　that　the　philosophy　of　our　subject　has　well　deserved　the　attention　which　it　has　already　received　from　several　excellent　observers；　and　that　it　deserves　still　further　attention；　especially　from　any　able　physiologist。


＇5＇　Gratiolet　（‘De　la　Physionomie；'　1865；　p。　　66）　insists　on　the　truth　of　this　conclusion。




The　End