the expression of emotion in man and animals-第14章

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　move　in　any　direction；　we　can　hardly　avoid　moving　our　bodies　in　the　same　direction；　although　we　may　be　perfectly　aware　that　this　can　have　no　influence。　A　good　illustration　of　this　fact　has　already　been　given　in　the　Introduction；　namely；　in　the　grotesque　movements　of　a　young　and　eager　billiard…player；　whilst　watching　the　course　of　his　ball。　A　man　or　child　in　a　passion；　if　he　tells　any　one　in　a　loud　voice　to　begone；　generally　moves　his　arm　as　if　to　push　him　away；　although　the　offender　may　not　be　standing　near；　and　although　there　may　be　not　the　least　need　to　explain　by　a　gesture　what　is　meant。　On　the　other　hand；　if　we　eagerly　desire　some　one　to　approach　us　closely；　we　act　as　if　pulling　him　towards　us；　and　so　in　innumerable　other　instances。

As　the　performance　of　ordinary　movements　of　an　opposite　kind；　under　opposite　impulses　of　the　will；　has　become　habitual　in　us　and　in　the　lower　animals；　so　when　actions　of　one　kind　have　become　firmly　associated　with　any　sensation　or　emotion；　it　appears　natural　that　actions　of　a　directly　opposite　kind；　though　of　no　use；　should　be　unconsciously　performed　through　habit　and　association；　under　the　influence　of　a　directly　opposite　sensation　or　emotion。　On　this　principle　alone　can　I　understand　how　the　gestures　and　expressions　which　come　under　the　present　head　of　antithesis　have　originated。　If　indeed　they　are　serviceable　to　man　or　to　any　other　animal；　in　aid　of　inarticulate　cries　or　language；　they　will　likewise　be　voluntarily　employed；　and　the　habit　will　thus　be　strengthened。　But　whether　or　not　of　service　as　a　means　of　communication；　the　tendency　to　perform　opposite　movements　under　opposite　sensations　or　emotions　would；　if　we　may　judge　by　analogy；　become　hereditary　through　long　practice；　and　there　cannot　be　a　doubt　that　several　expressive　movements　due　to　the　principle　of　antithesis　are　inherited。



CHAPTER　III。

GENERAL　PRINCIPLES　OF　EXPRESSION_concluded_。

The　principle　of　direct　action　of　the　excited　nervous　system　on　the　body；　independently　of　the　will　and　in　part　of　habit　Change　of　colour　in　the　hairTrembling　of　the　muscles　Modified　secretionsPerspirationExpression　of　extreme　pain　Of　rage；　great　joy；　and　terrorContrast　between　the　emotions　which　cause　and　do　not　cause　expressive　movementsExciting　and　depressing　states　of　the　mindSummary。


WE　now　come　to　our　third　Principle；　namely；　that　certain　actions　which　we　recognize　as　expressive　of　certain　states　of　the　mind；　are　the　direct　result　of　the　constitution　of　the　nervous　system；　and　have　been　from　the　first　independent　of　the　will；　and；　to　a　large　extent；　of　habit。　When　the　sensorium　is　strongly　excited　nerve…force　is　generated　in　excess；　and　is　transmitted　in　certain　directions；　dependent　on　the　connection　of　the　nerve…cells；　and；　as　far　as　the　muscular　system　is　concerned；　on　the　nature　of　the　movements　which　have　been　habitually　practised。　Or　the　supply　of　nerve…force　may；　as　it　appears；　be　interrupted。　Of　course　every　movement　which　we　make　is　determined　by　the　constitution　of　the　nervous　system；　but　actions　performed　in　obedience　to　the　will；　or　through　habit；　or　through　the　principle　of　antithesis；　are　here　as　far　as　possible　excluded。　　Our　present　subject　is　very　obscure；　but；　from　its　importance；　must　be　discussed　at　some　little　length；　and　it　is　always　advisable　to　perceive　clearly　our　ignorance。

The　most　striking　case；　though　a　rare　and　abnormal　one；　which　can　be　adduced　of　the　direct　influence　of　the　nervous　system；　when　strongly　affected；　on　the　body；　is　the　loss　of　colour　in　the　hair；　which　has　occasionally　been　observed　after　extreme　terror　or　grief。　One　authentic　instance　has　been　recorded；　in　the　case　of　a　man　brought　out　for　execution　in　India；　in　which　the　change　of　colour　was　so　rapid　that　it　was　perceptible　to　the　eye。＇1＇

Another　good　case　is　that　of　the　trembling　of　the　muscles；　which　is　common　to　man　and　to　many；　or　most；　of　the　lower　animals。　Trembling　is　of　no　service；　often　of　much　disservice；　and　cannot　have　been　at　first　acquired　through　the　will；　and　then　rendered　habitual　in　association　with　any　emotion。　I　am　assured　by　an　eminent　authority　that　young　children　do　not　tremble；　but　go　into　convulsions　under　the　circumstances　which　would　induce　excessive　trembling　in　adults。　　Trembling　is　excited　in　different　individuals　in　very　different　degrees。　and　by　the　most　diversified　causes；by　cold　to　the　surface；　before　fever…fits；　although　the　temperature　of　the　body　is　then　above　the　normal　standard；　in　blood…poisoning；　delirium　tremens；　and　other　diseases；　by　general　failure　of　power　in　old　age；　by　exhaustion　after　excessive　fatigue；　locally　from　severe　injuries；　such　as　burns；　and；　in　an　especial　manner；　by　the　passage　of　a　catheter。　　Of　all　emotions；　fear　notoriously　is　the　most　apt　to　induce　trembling；　but　so　do　occasionally　great　anger　and　joy。　I　remember　once　seeing　a　boy　who　had　just　shot　his　first　snipe　on　the　wing；　and　his　hands


＇1＇　See　the　interesting　cases　collected　by　M。　G。　Pouchet　in　the　‘Revue　des　Deux　Mondes；'　January　1；　1872；　p。　　79。　　An　instance　was　also　brought　some　years　ago　before　the　British　Association　at　Belfast。　trembled　to　such　a　degree　from　delight；　that　he　could　not　for　some　time　reload　his　gun；　and　I　have　heard　of　an　exactly　similar　case　with　an　Australian　savage；　to　whom　a　gun　had　been　lent。　Fine　music；　from　the　vague　emotions　thus　excited；　causes　a　shiver　to　run　down　the　backs　of　some　persons。　There　seems　to　be　very　little　in　common　in　the　above　several　physical　causes　and　emotions　to　account　for　trembling；　and　Sir　J。　Paget；　to　whom　I　am　indebted　for　several　of　the　above　statements；　informs　me　that　the　subject　is　a　very　obscure　one。　As　trembling　is　sometimes　caused　by　rage；　long　before　exhaustion　can　have　set　in；　and　as　it　sometimes　accompanies　great　joy；　it　would　appear　that　any　strong　excitement　of　the　nervous　system　interrupts　the　steady　flow　of　nerve…force　to　the　muscles。＇2＇

The　manner　in　which　the　secretions　of　the　alimentary　canal　and　of　certain　glandsas　the　liver；　kidneys；　or　mammae　are　affected　by　strong　emotions；　is　another　excellent　instance　of　the　direct　action　of　the　sensorium　on　these　organs；　independently　of　the　will　or　of　any　serviceable　associated　habit。　There　is　the　greatest　difference　in　different　persons　in　the　parts　which　are　thus　affected；　and　in　the　degree　of　their　affection。

The　heart；　which　goes　on　uninterruptedly　beating　night　and　day　in　so　wonderful　a　manner；　is　extremely　sensitive　to　external　stimulants。　The　great　physiologist；　Claude　Bernard；＇3＇　has　shown　bow　the　least　excitement　of　a　sensitive　nerve　reacts　on　the　heart；　even　when　a　nerve　is　touched　so　slightly　that　no　pain　can　possibly　be　felt　by　the　animal　under　experiment。　　Hence　when　the　mind　is　strongly　excited；　we　might　expect　that　it　would　instantly　affect　in　a　direct　manner　the　heart；　and　this　is　universally　acknowledged　and　felt　to　be　the　case。　Claude　Bernard　also　repeatedly　insists；　and　this　deserves　especial　notice；　that　when　the　heart　is　affected　it　reacts　on　the　brain；　and　the　state　of　the　brain　again　reacts　through　the　pneumo…gastric　nerve　on　the　heart；　so　that　under　any　excitement　there　will　be　much　mutual　action　and　reaction　between　these；　the　two　most　important　organs　of　the　body。


＇2＇　Muller　remarks　（‘Elements　of　Physiology；'　Eng。　　translat。　　vol。　　ii。　　p。　934）　that　when　the　feelings　are　very　intense；　〃all　the　spinal　nerves　become　affected　to　the　extent　of　imperfect　paralysis；　or　the　excitement　of　trembling　of　the　whole　body。〃

＇3＇　‘Lecons　sur　les　Prop。　　des　Tissus　Vivants；'　1866；　pp。　　457…466。

The　vaso…motor　system；　which　regulates　the　diameter　of　the　small　arteries；　is　directly　acted　on　by　the　sensorium；　as　we　see　when　a　man　blushes　from　shame；　but　in　this　latter　case　the　checked　transmission　of　nerve…force　to　the　vessels　of　the　face　can；　I　think；　be　partly　explained　in　a　curious　manner　through　habit。　We　shall　also　be　able　to　throw　some　light；　though　very　little；　on　the　involuntary　erection　of　the　hair　under　the　emotions　of　terror　and　rage。　　The　secretion　of　tears　depends；　no　doubt；　on　the　connection　of　certain　nerve…cells；　but　here　again　we　can　trace　some　few　of　the　steps　by　which　the　flow　of　nerve…force　through　the　requisite　channels　has　become　habitual　under　certain