The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-03-13
Blushing Explained.


Men and women, and especially the
young, have always valued, in a high
degree, their personal appearance; and
have likewise regarded the appearance
OF others. The face has been the chief
object Of attention, though, when man
aboriginally went naked, the whole sur
face Of his body would have been at
terded to. Our seIf-attention is excited
almost exclusively by the opinion Of
others, for no person living in absolute
solitude would care about his appear
ance. Every one feels blame more
acutely than praise. Now, whenever
we know, or suppose that others are de-
preciGting our personal appearance, our
attention is strongly drawn toward our
selves, more especially to our faces.
The probable effect of this will be to
excite into activity that part of the SEN
sorium which receives the sensorv
nerves Of the face; and this will react
through the yaso-motor system on the
facial capillaries. BY frequent reiters,-
ton during numberless generations. the
process VIII have become so habit1lal.
IN association with the belief that others
are thinking of US, that even a suspicion
Of their depreciation sufices 20 relax
the cappillaries, without any conscious
thought about our faces. With some
sensitive persons it is enough even TO
notice their dress to produce the same
effect. Through the force, also. OF MS
ISOLATION and inheritance our caDilIayies
are relaxed whenever we know. or ina
CINE, that any one is blaming. tbouob
In silence, our actions, THOUGHTS or
character; and, again, when we are
highly praised. On this hypothesis we
can understand how it is that the face
bushes much more than any other mart
of the body, though the whole surface
is somewhat effected, more especiolIy
with the races which 90 nearly naked
1t is not at all surprising that the dark.
colored rnces should blush, thouoI no
change of color is visible in their ships
From the principal Of Inheritance II 10
not surprising that persons born Blind
should blush. We can understand ,vb,.
the young are more affected thaD the
old, and women more than men AMI
why the opposite sexes especially ercito
each others bushes. 1t becomes oh
vious why personal remarks sbould he
particularly liable to cause Blusbino
and why the most powerful of all No
causes is shyness; for shyness relates
to the presence and opinion of others
and the shy are always more or les
self-conscious With respect To rao1
shame from moral delinouincies wa cor,
perceive why it is not guilt, but the
thought that others think ms cniIty
which raises a blush. A man reaect;ng
on crime committed in. solitude. ard
stung by his conscience, docs not blusb.
yet he viii blush under tho vidid recol-
lection Of a detected fault, or Of ono
committed in the presence Of others the
degree of blushing being closely relo-
ted to tho feeling Of regard for tbose
who have detected, witnessed. or sns-
pected his fault. Breaches of conven-
tional rules of conduct. if thew arc
rigidly insisted on by our equals or
superiors, often cause more intense
bushes even than a detected crime
and an act which is really criminal. if
not blamed by our equals, hardly raises
tinge of color on our cheeks. Modes
ty from humility, or from an indelicacy.
exeites a vivid blush, as both relates to
the judgment or fixed customs Of others.
-DdrJgin.