the expression of emotion in man and animals-第42章

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er　shoulders　in　her　life。　His　children　have　been　reared　in　England；　and　the　nursemaid　is　a　thorough　Englishwoman；　who　has　never　been　seen　to　shrug　her　shoulders。　Now；　his　eldest　daughter　was　observed　to　shrug　her　shoulders　at　the　age　of　between　sixteen　and　eighteen　months；　her　mother　exclaiming　at　the　time；　〃Look　at　the　little　French　girl　shrugging　her　shoulders！〃　At　first　she　often　acted　thus；　sometimes　throwing　her　head　a　little　backwards　and　on　one　side；　but　she　did　not；　as　far　as　was　observed；　move　her　elbows　and　hands　in　the　usual　manner。　　The　habit　gradually　wore　away；　and　now；　when　she　is　a　little　over　four　years　old；　she　is　never　seen　to　act　thus。　　The　father　is　told　that　he　sometimes　shrugs　his　shoulders；　especially　when　arguing　with　any　one；　but　it　is　extremely　improbable　that　his　daughter　should　have　imitated　him　at　so　early　an　age；　for；　as　he　remarks；　she　could　not　possibly　have　often　seen　this　gesture　in　him。　　Moreover；　if　the　habit　had　been　acquired　through　imitation；　it　is　not　probable　that　it　would　so　soon　have　been　spontaneously　discontinued　by　this　child；　and；　as　we　shall　immediately　see；　by　a　second　child；　though　the　father　still　lived　with　his　family。　This　little　girl；　it　may　be　added；　resembles　her　Parisian　grandfather　in　countenance　to　an　almost　absurd　degree。　　She　also　presents　another　and　very　curious　resemblance　to　him；　namely；　by　practising　a　singular　trick。　When　she　impatiently　wants　something；　she　holds　out　her　little　hand；　and　rapidly　rubs　the　thumb　against　the　index　and　middle　finger：　now　this　same　trick　was　frequently　performed　under　the　same　circumstances　by　her　grandfather。

This　gentleman's　second　daughter　also　shrugged　her　shoulders　before　the　age　of　eighteen　months；　and　afterwards　discontinued　the　habit。　It　is　of　course　possible　that　she　may　have　imitated　her　elder　sister；　but　she　continued　it　after　her　sister　had　lost　the　habit。　She　at　first　resembled　her　Parisian　grandfather　in　a　less　degree　than　did　her　sister　at　the　same　age；　but　now　in　a　greater　degree。　She　likewise　practises　to　the　present　time　the　peculiar　habit　of　rubbing　together；　when　impatient；　her　thumb　and　two　of　her　fore…fingers。

In　this　latter　case　we　have　a　good　instance；　like　those　given　in　a　former　chapter；　of　the　inheritance　of　a　trick　or　gesture；　for　no　one；　I　presume；　will　attribute　to　mere　coincidence　so　peculiar　a　habit　as　this；　which　was　common　to　the　grandfather　and　his　two　grandchildren　who　had　never　seen　him。

Considering　all　the　circumstances　with　reference　to　these　children　shrugging　their　shoulders；　it　can　hardly　be　doubted　that　they　have　inherited　the　habit　from　their　French　progenitors；　although　they　have　only　one　quarter　French　blood　in　their　veins；　and　although　their　grandfather　did　not　often　shrug　his　shoulders。　There　is　nothing　very　unusual；　though　the　fact　is　interesting；　in　these　children　having　gained　by　inheritance　a　habit　during　early　youth；　and　then　discontinuing　it；　for　it　is　of　frequent　occurrence　with　many　kinds　of　animals　that　certain　characters　are　retained　for　a　period　by　the　young；　and　are　then　lost。

As　it　appeared　to　me　at　one　time　improbable　in　a　high　degree　that　so　complex　a　gesture　as　shrugging　the　shoulders；　together　with　the　accompanying　movements；　should　be　innate；　I　was　anxious　to　ascertain　whether　the　blind　and　deaf　Laura　Bridgman；　who　could　not　have　learnt　the　habit　by　imitation；　practised　it。　And　I　have　heard；　through　Dr。　Innes；　from　a　lady　who　has　lately　had　charge　of　her；　that　she　does　shrug　her　shoulders；　turn　in　her　elbows；　and　raise　her　eyebrows　in　the　same　manner　as　other　people；　and　under　the　same　circumstances。　I　was　also　anxious　to　learn　whether　this　gesture　was　practised　by　the　various　races　of　man；　especially　by　those　who　never　have　had　much　intercourse　with　Europeans。　　We　shall　see　that　they　act　in　this　manner；　but　it　appears　that　the　gesture　is　sometimes　confined　to　merely　raising　or　shrugging　the　shoulders；　without　the　other　movements。

Mr。　Scott　has　frequently　seen　this　gesture　in　the　Bengalees　and　Dhangars　（the　latter　constituting　a　distinct　race）　who　are　employed　in　the　Botanic　Garden　at　Calcutta；　when；　for　instance；　they　have　declared　that　they　could　not　do　some　work；　such　as　lifting　a　heavy　weight。　He　ordered　a　Bengalee　to　climb　a　lofty　tree；　but　the　man；　with　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders　and　a　lateral　shake　of　his　head；　said　he　could　not。　Mr。　Scott　knowing　that　the　man　was　lazy；　thought　he　could；　and　insisted　on　his　trying。　　His　face　now　became　pale；　his　arms　dropped　to　his　sides；　his　mouth　and　eyes　were　widely　opened；　and　again　surveying　the　tree；　he　looked　askant　at　Mr。　Scott；　shrugged　his　shoulders；　inverted　his　elbows；　extended　his　open　hands；　and　with　a　few　quick　lateral　shakes　of　the　head　declared　his　inability。　Mr。　H。　Erskine　has　likewise　seen　the　natives　of　India　shrugging　their　shoulders；　but　he　has　never　seen　the　elbows　turned　so　much　inwards　as　with　us；　and　whilst　shrugging　their　shoulders　they　sometimes　lay　their　uncrossed　hands　on　their　breasts。

With　the　wild　Malays　of　the　interior　of　Malacca；　and　with　the　Bugis　（true　Malays；　though　speaking　a　different；　language）；　Mr。　Geach　has　often　seen　this　gesture。　　I　presume　that　it　is　complete；　as；　in　answer　to　my　query　descriptive　of　the　movements　of　the　shoulders；　arms；　hands；　and　face；　Mr。　Geach　remarks；　〃it　is　performed　in　a　beautiful　style。〃　I　have　lost　an　extract　from　a　scientific　voyage；　in　which　shrugging　the　shoulders　by　some　natives　（Micronesians）　of　the　Caroline　Archipelago　in　the　Pacific　Ocean；　was　well　described。　　Capt。　Speedy　informs　me　that　the　Abyssinians　shrug　their　shoulders　but　enters　into　no　details。　Mrs。　Asa　Gray　saw　an　Arab　dragoman　in　Alexandria　acting　exactly　as　described　in　my　query；　when　an　old　gentleman；　on　whom　he　attended；　would　not　go　in　the　proper　direction　which　had　been　pointed　out　to　him。

Mr。　Washington　Matthews　says；　in　reference　to　the　wild　Indian　tribes　of　the　western　parts　of　the　United　States；　〃I　have　on　a　few　occasions　detected　men　using　a　slight　apologetic　shrug；　but　the　rest　of　the　demonstration　which　you　describe　I　have　not　witnessed。〃　Fritz　Muller　informs　me　that　he　has　seen　the　negroes　in　Brazil　shrugging　their　shoulders；　but　it　is　of　course　possible　that　they　may　have　learnt　to　do　so　by　imitating　the　Portuguese。　　Mrs。　Barber　has　never　seen　this　gesture　with　the　Kafirs　of　South　Africa；　and　Gaika；　judging　from　his　answer；　did　not　even　understand　what　was　meant　by　my　description。　　Mr。　Swinhoe　is　also　doubtful　about　the　Chinese；　but　he　has　seen　them；　under　the　circumstances　which　would　make　us　shrug　our　shoulders；　press　their　right　elbow　against　their　side；　raise　their　eyebrows；　lift　up　their　hand　with　the　palm　directed　towards　the　person　addressed；　and　shake　it　from　right　to　left。　Lastly；　with　respect　to　the　Australians；　four　of　my　informants　answer　by　a　simple　negative；　and　one　by　a　simple　affirmative。　Mr。　Bunnett；　who　has　had　excellent　opportunities　for　observation　on　the　borders　of　the　Colony　of　Victory；　also　answers　by　a　〃yes；〃　adding　that　the　gesture　is　performed　〃in　a　more　subdued　and　less　demonstrative　manner　than　is　the　case　with　civilized　nations。〃　This　circumstance　may　account　for　its　not　having　been　noticed　by　four　of　my　informants。

These　statements；　relating　to　Europeans；　Hindoos；　the　hill…tribes　of　India；　Malays；　Micronesians；　Abyssinians；　Arabs；　Negroes；　Indians　of　North　America；　and　apparently　to　the　Australiansmany　of　these　natives　having　had　scarcely　any　intercourse　with　Europeansare　sufficient　to　show　that　shrugging　the　shoulders；　accompanied　in　some　cases　by　the　other　proper　movements；　is　a　gesture　natural　to　mankind。

This　gesture　implies　an　unintentional　or　unavoidable　action　on　our　own　part；　or　one　that　we　cannot　perform；　or　an　action　performed　by　another　person　which　we　cannot　prevent。　It　accompanies　such　speeches　as；　〃It　was　not　my　fault；〃　〃It　is　impossible　for　me　to　grant　this　favour；〃　〃He　must　follow　his　own　course；　I　cannot　stop　him。〃　　Shrugging　the　shoulders　likewise　expresses　patience；　or　the　absence　of　any　intention　to　resist。　Hence　the　muscles　which　raise　the　shoulders　are　sometimes　called；　as　I　have　been　informed　by　an　artist；　the　patience　muscles。〃　Shylock　the　Jew；　says；

　〃Signor　Antonio；　many　a　time　and　oft　　In　the　Rialto　have　you　rated　me　　About　my　monies　and　usances；　　Still　have　I　borne　it　with　a　patient　shrug。〃　_Merchant　of　Venice_；　act　1。　　sc。　　3。


Sir　C。　Bell　has　given＇14＇　a　life…like　figure　of　a　man；　who　is　shrinking　back　from　some　terrible　danger；　and　is　on　the　point　of　screaming　out　in　abject　terror。　He　is　represented　with　his　shoulders　lifted　up　almost　to　his　ears；　and　this　at　once　declares　that　there　is　no　thought　of　resistance。

As　shrugging　the　shoulders　generally　implies　〃I　cannot　do　this　or　that；〃　so　by　a　slight　change；　it　sometimes　implies　〃I　won't　do　it。〃　The　movement　then　expresses　a　dogged　determination　not　to　act。　Olmsted　describes＇15＇　an　Indian　in　Texas　as　giving　a　great　shrug　to　his　shoulders；　when　he　was　informed　that　a　party　of　men　were　Germans　and　not　Americans；　thus　expressing　that　he　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　them。　　Sulky　and　obstinate　children　may　be　seen　with　both　their　shoulders　raised　high　up；　but　this　movement　is　not　associated　with　the　others　which　generally　accompany　a　true　shrug。　An　excellent　observer＇16＇　in　describing　a　young　man　who　was　determined　not　to　yield　to　his　father's　desire；　says；　〃He　thrust　his　hands　deep　down　into　his　pockets；　and　set　up　his　shoulders　to　his　ears；　which　was　a　good　warning　that；　come　right　or　wrong；　this　rock　should　fly　from　its　firm　base　as　soon　as　Jack　would；　and　that　any　remonstrance　on　the　subject　was　purely　futile。〃　As　soon　as　the　son　got　his　own　way；　he　〃put　his　shoulders　into　their　natural　position。〃


＇14＇　‘Anatomy　of　Expression；'　p。　　166。

＇15＇　‘Journey　through　Texas；'　p。　　352。

Resignation　is　sometimes　shown　by　the　open　hands　being　placed；　one　over　the　other；　on　the　lower　part　of　the　body。　　I　should　not　have　thought　this　little　gesture　worth　even　a　passing　notice；　had　not　Dr。　W。　Ogle　remarked　to　me　that　he　had　two　or　three　times　observed　it　in　patients　who　were　preparing　for　operations　under　chloroform。　They　exhibited　no　great　fear；　but　seemed　to　declare　by　this　posture　of　their　hands；　that　they　had　made　up　their　minds；　and　were　resigned　to　the　inevitable。

We　may　now　inquire　why　men　in　all　parts　of　the　world　when　they　feel；　whether　or　not　they　wish　to　show　this　feeling；that　they　cannot　or　will　not　do　something；　or　will　not　resist　something　if　done　by　another；　shrug　their　shoulders；　at　the　same　time　often　bending　in　their　elbows；　showing　the　palms　of　their　hands　with　extended　fingers；　often　throwing　their　heads　a　little　on　one　side；　raising　their　eyebrows；　and　opening　their　mouths。　These　states　of　the　mind　are　either　simply　passive；　or　show　a　determination　not　to　act。　　None　of　the　above　movements　are　of　the　least　service。　　The　explanation　lies；　I　cannot　doubt；　in　the　principle　of　unconscious　antithesis。　This　principle　here　seems　to　come　into　play　as　clearly　as　in　the　case　of　a　dog；　who；　when　feeling　savage；　puts　himself　in　the　proper　attitude　for　attacking　and　for　making　himself　appear　terrible　to　his　enemy；　but　as　soon　as　he　feels　affectionate；　throws　his　whole　body　into　a　directly　opposite　attitude；　though　this　is　of　no　direct　use　to　him。