the expression of emotion in man and animals-第78章

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ments　of　expression　directly　or　indirectly　depend；　it　seems　to　me　improbable　in　the　highest　degree　that　so　much　similarity；　or　rather　identity　of　structure；　could　have　been　acquired　by　independent　means。　Yet　this　must　have　been　the　case　if　the　races　of　man　are　descended　from　several　aboriginally　distinct　species。　　It　is　far　more　probable　that　the　many　points　of　close　similarity　in　the　various　races　are　due　to　inheritance　from　a　single　parent…form；　which　had　already　assumed　a　human　character。

It　is　a　curious；　though　perhaps　an　idle　speculation；　how　early　in　the　long　line　of　our　progenitors　the　various　expressive　movements；　now　exhibited　by　man；　were　successively　acquired。　　The　following　remarks　will　at　least　serve　to　recall　some　of　the　chief　points　discussed　in　this　volume。　We　may　confidently　believe　that　laughter；　as　a　sign　of　pleasure　or　enjoyment；　was　practised　by　our　progenitors　long　before　they　deserved　to　be　called　human；　for　very　many　kinds　of　monkeys；　when　pleased；　utter　a　reiterated　sound；　clearly　analogous　to　our　laughter；　often　accompanied　by　vibratory　movements　of　their　jaws　or　lips；　with　the　corners　of　the　mouth　drawn　backwards　and　upwards；　by　the　wrinkling　of　the　cheeks；　and　even　by　the　brightening　of　the　eyes。

We　may　likewise　infer　that　fear　was　expressed　from　an　extremely　remote　period；　in　almost　the　same　manner　as　it　now　is　by　man；　namely；　by　trembling；　the　erection　of　the　hair；　cold　perspiration；　pallor；　widely　opened　eyes；　the　relaxation　of　most　of　the　muscles；　and　by　the　whole　body　cowering　downwards　or　held　motionless。

Suffering；　if　great；　will　from　the　first　have　caused　screams　or　groans　to　be　uttered；　the　body　to　be　contorted；　and　the　teeth　to　be　ground　together。　But　our　progenitors　will　not　have　exhibited　those　highly　expressive　movements　of　the　features　which　accompany　screaming　and　crying　until　their　circulatory　and　respiratory　organs；　and　the　muscles　surrounding　the　eyes；　had　acquired　their　present　structure。　　The　shedding　of　tears　appears　to　have　originated　through　reflex　action　from　the　spasmodic　contraction　of　the　eyelids；　together　perhaps　with　the　eyeballs　becoming　gorged　with　blood　during　the　act　of　screaming。　　Therefore　weeping　probably　came　on　rather　late　in　the　line　of　our　descent；　and　this　conclusion　agrees　with　the　fact　that　our　nearest　allies；　the　anthropomorphous　apes；　do　not　weep。　But　we　must　here　exercise　some　caution；　for　as　certain　monkeys；　which　are　not　closely　related　to　man；　weep；　this　habit　might　have　been　developed　long　ago　in　a　sub…branch　of　the　group　from　which　man　is　derived。　Our　early　progenitors；　when　suffering　from　grief　or　anxiety；　would　not　have　made　their　eyebrows　oblique；　or　have　drawn　down　the　corners　of　their　mouth；　until　they　had　acquired　the　habit　of　endeavouring　to　restrain　their　screams。　The　expression；　therefore；　of　grief　and　anxiety　is　eminently　human。

Rage　will　have　been　expressed　at　a　very　early　period　by　threatening　or　frantic　gestures；　by　the　reddening　of　the　skin；　and　by　glaring　eyes；　but　not　by　frowning。　　For　the　habit　of　frowning　seems　to　have　been　acquired　chiefly　from　the　corrugators　being　the　first　muscles　to　contract　round　the　eyes；　whenever　during　infancy　pain；　anger；　or　distress　is　felt；　and　there　consequently　is　a　near　approach　to　screaming；　and　partly　from　a　frown　serving　as　a　shade　in　difficult　and　intent　vision。　It　seems　probable　that　this　shading　action　would　not　have　become　habitual　until　man　had　assumed　a　completely　upright　position；　for　monkeys　do　not　frown　when　exposed　to　a　glaring　light。　　Our　early　progenitors；　when　enraged；　would　probably　have　exposed　their　teeth　more　freely　than　does　man；　even　when　giving　full　vent　to　his　rage；　as　with　the　insane。　We　may；　also；　feel　almost　certain　that　they　would　have　protruded　their　lips；　when　sulky　or　disappointed；　in　a　greater　degree　than　is　the　case　with　our　own　children；　or　even　with　the　children　of　existing　savage　races。

Our　early　progenitors；　when　indignant　or　moderately　angry；　would　not　have　held　their　heads　erect；　opened　their　chests；　squared　their　shoulders；　and　clenched　their　fists；　until　they　had　acquired　the　ordinary　carriage　and　upright　attitude　of　man；　and　had　learnt　to　fight　with　their　fists　or　clubs。　Until　this　period　had　arrived　the　antithetical　gesture　of　shrugging　the　shoulders；　as　a　sign　of　impotence　or　of　patience；　would　not　have　been　developed。　　From　the　same　reason　astonishment　would　not　then　have　been　expressed　by　raising　the　arms　with　open　hands　and　extended　fingers。　　Nor；　judging　from　the　actions　of　monkeys；　would　astonishment　have　been　exhibited　by　a　widely　opened　mouth；　but　the　eyes　would　have　been　opened　and　the　eyebrows　arched。　Disgust　would　have　been　shown　at　a　very　early　period　by　movements　round　the　mouth；　like　those　of　vomiting；that　is；　if　the　view　which　I　have　suggested　respecting　the　source　of　the　expression　is　correct；　namely；　that　our　progenitors　had　the　power；　and　used　it；　of　voluntarily　and　quickly　rejecting　any　food　from　their　stomachs　which　they　disliked。　But　the　more　refined　manner　of　showing　contempt　or　disdain；　by　lowering　the　eyelids；　or　turning　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　fe