The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-01-09

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man strikes the table. Some monkeys
grow red in the face when angry, and
Others poui their lips. just ~ human chill
dren DO. An amusing cut OF pOuting
chimpanzee illustrates the fact. When en-
deayOring 10 thread a needle or perform
/ some little action which requires prccis-
ion, men naturally compress the lips.
probably for the purpose of avoiding dis
turbance Of the object by breathing. Mr..
Darwin records his observation Of the
same movement In a young Orang which
was sick. II was amusing itself in trying
To Kill the flies on the window panes with
it, knuckles. This was difficult. as the
flies buZzed about; and at each attempt
the lips Were firmly compressed and at the
same time slightly prOtruded.
The last eight chapters Of the work are
devoted 10 the explanation of the complex
expressions Of the human face. in accord
ance with the three principles laid down
at the outset Of the argument. His expla-
nation Of the origin of the expression de-
noting sorrow j. highly curious. Ina in
fants almost all forms of discomfort ard
dissatisfaction are expressed by loud
screams and contractions OF the mus
cles of the face. The eyes are tightly
closed. so that the skin round them Is
wrinkled. and the forehead contracted
into a frown. The mouth is wide open
and the lips retractcd i'm such a manner as
! To assume a squarish outline. These con-
\ fractions had already been explained by
Sir Charles Bell. by saying that 81 this i
provision for supporting and defending the
vascular system of the interior of the eye
/ from retrOgrade impulse communicated
\ to the blood in the veins" under the influ-
ence Of the violent expirations accompany
/ ing laughter. weeping. coughing. or sneez-
ing. For the same reason. a man closes
his eyes when blowing his nose. She'd
ding of tears Mr.. Darwin accounts for as
/ follows: AT the same time the spas
mOdic pressure OH the surface Of the eye
and the distention of the vessel within the
eye. without necessarily entailing any con-
scious sensation. will affect. through reflex
action. the lachrymal glands. Finally,
through the three principlcs-of nerve
force readily passing along accustomed
channels. OF association which i 30 widely
extended in its power. and of certain ac-
tons being more under the control of the
will than othcrs-it has come 20 pass that
suffering readily causes the secretion OF
tears without being necessarily accompa-
MED by any other action.
We must pass over his interesting expla-
nations of the expressions dcnOting high
spirits, love. determination. hatred, con-
tempt. guilt. surprise, etc. and pass 10 his
description of blushing. He remarks that
"blushing Is the most peculiar and the
most human of all expressions. Monkeys
redden from passion; but il would require
AN overwhelming amount of evidence to
make Us believe that any animal could
blush. The rcddening Of the face from a
blush is due 10 the relaxation Of the mus
cular coats of the small arteries. by which
the capillaries become filed with blood;
.lsl.s
center being affected. No doubt. il there
be- at the same time much mental agita-
ton. the general circulation will be- affect
ed also; but il is not due 10 the action Of
the heart that the network of minute YES
sells covering the face becomes. under
sense of shame, gOrged with blood
ave cannot cause blush by
any physical means: it is the
mind which must be affected. Blushng
Is not only involuntary but the wish To
restrain il. by leading 10 self-attention. act
ually increases the tendency Infants
never and idiots rarely blush. and women
blush much more than men. Blushing is
chiefly 70 be observed on the exposed re-
gions. the face and neck and TO some ex-
tent the upper part of the chest; hence il
j. thought that exposure has accustomed
the vessels of these regions 10 more ready
contraction and expansion.
All people with light-colorcd skin blush
more or less; while black races exhibit
traces of the same trait. and there is rea-
son 10 believe only differ from Others in
consequence Of the obscVtrity of the color
of the skin.
Blushng Is usually accompanied by pc
culiar movements. especially the aversion
of the head or eyes. and also by commission
of mind. On many accounts Mr.. Darwin
=. 4 l. fi.sf..
of blushng i a disturbance of the cerebral
circulation. The remarkable sympathy be-
tween the internal and external capillary
circulatons renders this explanation high
ly probable. The mental trait which
leads 10 tins disturbance i scifatfeHtion i'm
it, various forms. This attention. he
thinks has had reference i'm the beginning
TO personal appearance. and not to moral
conduct. He SAYS oft: .'Our Self-atten-
ton Is excited almost exclusively by the
opinion of others. Every one
feels blame more acute than praise. Now.
whenever we know or suppose that others
are dcprcciating our personal Appearance.
our attention Is strongly drawn toward
ourselves. more especially toward our
faces. The probable effect of this will bc
10 excite into activity that part of the sens
ory nerves of the face. and this will react.
through the vasomotor system. on the
facial capillarics. BY frequent reiteration
through numberless generations. the pro-
cess will have become so habitual. in asso-
citation with the belief that Others are
thinking of Us. that even suspicion of
their depreciation suilices to relax the cap
illaries. without any conscious thought
about orr faces
OF other expressions Of face and body
which are evidently purely reflex. and not
,t,tlnr control of tho will Mr. Darwin cites
sweating and trembling under mental ex-
element. increased secretion Of glands, and
nOn-rcieniiOn of its contents 10y the ali
mcntary canal from similar causes.
How completely facial expression Is
:. bnr4 color