the expression of emotion in man and animals-第17章

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th　no　husbanding　of　the　strength　as　in　fighting；　and　the　animal　continues　to　fly　as　long　as　the　danger　lasts；　until　utter　prostration；　with　failing　respiration　and　circulation；　with　all　the　muscles　quivering　and　profuse　sweating；　renders　further　flight　impossible。　　Hence　it　does　not　seem　improbable　that　the　principle　of　associated　habit　may　in　part　account　for；　or　at　least　augment；　some　of　the　above…named　characteristic　symptoms　of　extreme　terror。


That　the　principle　of　associated　habit　has　played　an　important　part　in　causing　the　movements　expressive　of　the　foregoing　several　strong　emotions　and　sensations；　we　may；　I　think；　conclude　from　considering　firstly；　some　other　strong　emotions　which　do　not　ordinarily　require　for　their　relief　or　gratification　any　voluntary　movement；　and　secondly　the　contrast　in　nature　between　the　so…called　exciting　and　depressing　states　of　the　mind。　No　emotion　is　stronger　than　maternal　love；　but　a　mother　may　feel　the　deepest　love　for　her　helpless　infant；　and　yet　not　show　it　by　any　outward　sign；　or　only　by　slight　caressing　movements；　with　a　gentle　smile　and　tender　eyes。　But　let　any　one　intentionally　injure　her　infant；　and　see　what　a　change！　how　she　starts　up　with　threatening　aspect；　how　her　eyes　sparkle　and　her　face　reddens；　how　her　bosom　heaves；　nostrils　dilate；　and　heart　beats；　for　anger；　and　not　maternal　love；　has　habitually　led　to　action。　The　love　between　the　opposite　sexes　is　widely　different　from　maternal　love；　and　when　lovers　meet；　we　know　that　their　hearts　beat　quickly；　their　breathing　is　hurried；　and　their　faces　flush；　for　this　love　is　not　inactive　like　that　of　a　mother　for　her　infant。

A　man　may　have　his　mind　filled　with　the　blackest　hatred　or　suspicion；　or　be　corroded　with　envy　or　jealousy；　but　as　these　feelings　do　not　at　once　lead　to　action；　and　as　they　commonly　last　for　some　time；　they　are　not　shown　by　any　outward　sign；　excepting　that　a　man　in　this　state　assuredly　does　not　appear　cheerful　or　good…tempered。　If　indeed　these　feelings　break　out　into　overt　acts；　rage　takes　their　place；　and　will　be　plainly　exhibited。　Painters　can　hardly　portray　suspicion；　jealousy；　envy；　&c。；　except　by　the　aid　of　accessories　which　tell　the　tale；　and　poets　use　such　vague　and　fanciful　expressions　as　〃green…eyed　jealousy。〃　　Spenser　describes　suspicion　as　〃Foul；　ill…favoured；　and　grim；　under　his　eyebrows　looking　still　askance；〃　&c。；　Shakespeare　speaks　of　envy　〃as　lean…faced　in　her　loathsome　case；〃　and　in　another　place　he　says；　〃no　black　envy　shall　make　my　grave；〃　and　again　as　〃above　pale　envy's　threatening　reach。〃

Emotions　and　sensations　have　often　been　classed　as　exciting　or　depressing。　When　all　the　organs　of　the　body　and　mind；those　of　voluntary　and　involuntary　movement；　of　perception；　sensation；　thought；　&c。；perform　their　functions　more　energetically　and　rapidly　than　usual；　a　man　or　animal　may　be　said　to　be　excited；　and；　under　an　opposite　state；　to　be　depressed。　Anger　and　joy　are　from　the　first　exciting　emotions；　and　they　naturally　lead；　more　especially　the　former；　to　energetic　movements；　which　react　on　the　heart　and　this　again　on　the　brain。　　A　physician　once　remarked　to　me　as　a　proof　of　the　exciting　nature　of　anger；　that　a　man　when　excessively　jaded　will　sometimes　invent　imaginary　offences　and　put　himself　into　a　passion；　unconsciously　for　the　sake　of　reinvigorating　himself；　and　since　hearing　this　remark；　I　have　occasionally　recognized　its　full　truth。

Several　other　states　of　mind　appear　to　be　at　first　exciting；　but　soon　become　depressing　to　an　extreme　degree。　　When　a　mother　suddenly　loses　her　child；　sometimes　she　is　frantic　with　grief；　and　must　be　considered　to　be　in　an　excited　state；　she　walks　wildly　about；　tears　her　hair　or　clothes；　and　wrings　her　hands。　This　latter　action　is　perhaps　due　to　the　principle　of　antithesis；　betraying　an　inward　sense　of　helplessness　and　that　nothing　can　be　done。　The　other　wild　and　violent　movements　may　be　in　part　explained　by　the　relief　experienced　through　muscular　exertion；　and　in　part　by　the　undirected　overflow　of　nerve…force　from　the　excited　sensorium。　But　under　the　sudden　loss　of　a　beloved　person；　one　of　the　first　and　commonest　thoughts　which　occurs；　is　that　something　more　might　have　been　done　to　save　the　lost　one。　　An　excellent　observer；＇12＇　in　describing　the　behaviour　of　a　girl　at　the　sudden　death　of　her　father；　says　she　〃went　about　the　house　wringing　her　hands　like　a　creature　demented；　saying　‘It　was　her　fault；'　‘I　should　never　have　left　him；'　‘If　I　had　only　sat　up　with　him；'　〃　&c。　With　such　ideas　vividly　present　before　the　mind；　there　would　arise；　through　the　principle　of　associated　habit；　the　strongest　tendency　to　energetic　action　of　some　kind。

As　soon　as　the　sufferer　is　fully　conscious　that　nothing　can　be　done；　despair　or　deep　sorrow　takes　the　place　of　frantic　grief。　The　sufferer　sits　motionless；　or　gently　rocks　to　and　fro；　the　circulation　becomes　languid；　respiration　is　almost　forgotten；　and　deep　sighs　are　drawn。


＇12＇　〃Mrs。　Oliphant；　in　her　novel　of　‘Miss　Majoribanks；'　p。　　362。　　All　this　reacts　on　the　brain；　and　prostration　soon　follows　with　collapsed　muscles　and　dulled　eyes。　　As　associated　habit　no　longer　prompts　the　sufferer　to　action；　he　is　urged　by　his　friends　to　voluntary　exertion；　and　not　to　give　way　to　silent；　motionless　grief。　　Exertion　stimulates　the　heart；　and　this　reacts　on　the　brain；　and　aids　the　mind　to　bear　its　heavy　load。

Pain；　if　severe；　soon　induces　extreme　depression　or　prostration；　but　it　is　at　first　a　stimulant　and　excites　to　action；　as　we　see　when　we　whip　a　horse；　and　as　is　shown　by　the　horrid　tortures　inflicted　in　foreign　lands　on　exhausted　dray…bullocks；　to　rouse　them　to　renewed　exertion。　Fear　again　is　the　most　depressing　of　all　the　emotions；　and　it　soon　induces　utter；　helpless　prostration；　as　if　in　consequence　of；　or　in　association　with；　the　most　violent　and　prolonged　attempts　to　escape　from　the　danger；　though　no　such　attempts　have　actually　been　made。　Nevertheless；　even　extreme　fear　often　acts　at　first　as　a　powerful　stimulant。　A　man　or　animal　driven　through　terror　to　desperation；　is　endowed　with　wonderful　strength；　and　is　notoriously　dangerous　in　the　highest　degree。


On　the　whole　we　may　conclude　that　the　principle　of　the　direct　action　of　the　sensorium　on　the　body；　due　to　the　constitution　of　the　nervous　system；　and　from　the　first　independent　of　the　will；　has　been　highly　influential　in　determining　many　expressions。　Good　instances　are　afforded　by　the　trembling　of　the　muscles；　the　sweating　of　the　skin；　the　modified　secretions　of　the　alimentary　canal　and　glands；　under　various　emotions　and　sensations。　But　actions　of　this　kind　are　often　combined　with　others；　which　follow　from　our　first　principle；　namely；　that　actions　which　have　often　been　of　direct　or　indirect　service；　under　certain　states　of　the　mind；　in　order　to　gratify　or　relieve　certain　sensations；　desires；　&c。；　are　still　performed　under　analogous　circumstances　through　mere　habit　although　of　no　service。　We　have　combinations　of　this　kind；　at　least　in　part；　in　the　frantic　gestures　of　rage　and　in　the　writhings　of　extreme　pain；　and；　perhaps；　in　the　increased　action　of　the　heart　and　of　the　respiratory　organs。　　Even　when　these　and　other　emotions　or　sensations　are　aroused　in　a　very　feeble　manner；　there　will　still　be　a　tendency　to　similar　actions；　owing　to　the　force　of　long…associated　habit；　and　those　actions　which　are　least　under　voluntary　control　will　generally　be　longest　retained。　Our　second　principle　of　antithesis　has　likewise　occasionally　come　into　play。


Finally；　so　many　expressive　movements　can　be　explained；　as　I　trust　will　be　seen　in　the　course　of　this　volume；　through　the　three　principles　which　have　now　been　discussed；　that　we　may　hope　hereafter　to　see　all　thus　explained；　or　by　closely　analogous　principles。　It　is；　however；　often　impossible　to　decide　how　much　weight　ought　to　be　attributed；　in　each　particular　case；　to　one　of　our　principles；　and　how　much　to　another；　and　very　many　points　in　the　theory　of　Expression　remain　inexplicable。　　CHAPTER　IV。

MEANS　OF　EXPRESSION　IN　ANIMALS。

The　emission　of　SoundsVocal　soundsSounds　otherwise　produced　Erection　of　the　dermal　appendages；　hairs；　feathers；　&c。；　under　the　emotions　of　anger　and　terrorThe　drawing　back　of　the　ears　as　a　preparation　for