the expression of emotion in man and animals-第51章

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s　however　doubtful；　judging　from　the　still　more　powerful　influence　of　anger　and　fear　on　the　circulation；　whether　we　can　thus　satisfactorily　account　for　the　confused　state　of　mind　in　persons　whilst　blushing　intensely。

The　true　explanation　apparently　lies　in　the　intimate　sympathy　which　exists　between　the　capillary　circulation　of　the　surface　of　the　head　and　face；　and　that　of　the　brain。　On　applying　to　Dr。　J。　Crichton　Browne　for　information；　he　has　given　me　various　facts　bearing　on　this　subject。　When　the　sympathetic　nerve　is　divided　on　one　side　of　the　head；　the　capillaries　on　this　side　are　relaxed　and　become　filled　with　blood；　causing　the　skin　to　redden　and　to　grow　hot；　and　at　the　same　time　the　temperature　within　the　cranium　on　the　same　side　rises。　　Inflammation　of　the　membranes　of　the　brain　leads　to　the　engorgement　of　the　face；　ears；　and　eyes　with　blood。　The　first　stage　of　an　epileptic　fit　appears　to　be　the　contraction　of　the　vessels　of　the　brain；　and　the　first　outward　manifestation　is；　an　extreme　pallor　of　countenance。　　Erysipelas　of　the　head　commonly　induces　delirium。　　Even　the　relief　given　to　a　severe　headache　by　burning　the　skin　with　strong　lotion；　depends；　I　presume；　on　the　same　principle。

Dr。　Browne　has　often　administered　to　his　patients　the　vapour　of　the　nitrite　of　amyl；＇22＇　which　has　the　singular　property　of　causing　vivid　redness　of　the　face　in　from　thirty　to　sixty　seconds。　This　flushing　resembles　blushing　in　almost　every　detail：　it　begins　at　several　distinct　points　on　the　face；　and　spreads　till　it　involves　the　whole　surface　of　the　head；　neck；　and　front　of　the　chest；　but　has　been　observed　to　extend　only　in　one　case　to　the　abdomen。　The　arteries　in　the　retina　become　enlarged；　the　eyes　glisten；　and　in　one　instance　there　was　a　slight　effusion　of　tears。　The　patients　are　at　first　pleasantly　stimulated；　but；　as　the　flushing　increases；　they　become　confused　and　bewildered。　One　woman　to　whom　the　vapour　had　often　been　administered　asserted　that；　as　soon　as　she　grew　hot；　she　grew　MUDDLED。　　With　persons　just　commencing　to　blush　it　appears；　judging　from　their　bright　eyes　and　lively　behaviour；　that　their　mental　powers　are　somewhat　stimulated。　It　is　only　when　the　blushing　is　excessive　that　the　mind　grows　confused。　Therefore　it　would　seem　that　the　capillaries　of　the　face　are　affected；　both　during　the　inhalation　of　the　nitrite　of　amyl　and　during　blushing；　before　that　part　of　the　brain　is　affected　on　which　the　mental　powers　depend。

Conversely　when　the　brain　is　primarily　affected；　the　circulation　of　the　skin　is　so　in　a　secondary　manner。　Dr。　Browne　has　frequently　observed；　as　he　informs　me；　scattered　red　blotches　and　mottlings　on　the　chests　of　epileptic　patients。　In　these　cases；　when　the　skin　on　the　thorax　or　abdomen　is　gently　rubbed　with　a　pencil　or　other　object；　or；　in　strongly…marked　cases；　is　merely　touched　by　the　finger；　the　surface　becomes　suffused　in　less　than　half　a　minute　with　bright　red　marks；　which　spread　to　some　distance　on　each　side　of　the　touched　point；　and　persist　for　several　minutes。　　These　are　the　_cerebral　maculae_　of　Trousseau；　and　they　indicate；　as　Dr。　Browne　remarks；　a　highly　modified　condition　of　the　cutaneous　vascular　system。　If；　then；　there　exists；　as　cannot　be　doubted；　an　intimate　sympathy　between　the　capillary　circulation　in　that　part　of　the　brain　on　which　our　mental　powers　depend；　and　in　the　skin　of　the　face；　it　is　not　surprising　that　the　moral　causes　which　induce　intense　blushing　should　likewise　induce；　independently　of　their　own　disturbing　influence；　much　confusion　of　mind。


＇22＇　See　also　Dr。　J。　Crichton　Browne's　Memoir　on　this　subject　in　the　‘West　Riding　Lunatic　Asylum　Medical　Report；'　1871；　pp。　　95…98。


_The　Nature　of　the　Mental　States　which　induce　Blushing_。These　consist　of　shyness；　shame；　and　modesty；　the　essential　element　in　all　being　self…attention。　Many　reasons　can　be　assigned　for　believing　that　originally　self…attention　directed　to　personal　appearance；　in　relation　to　the　opinion　of　others；　was　the　exciting　cause；　the　same　effect　being　subsequently　produced；　through　the　force　of　association；　by　self…attention　in　relation　to　moral　conduct。　It　is　not　the　simple　act　of　reflecting　on　our　own　appearance；　but　the　thinking　what　others　think　of　us；　which　excites　a　blush。　In　absolute　solitude　the　most　sensitive　person　would　be　quite　indifferent　about　his　appearance。　　We　feel　blame　or　disapprobation　more　acutely　than　approbation；　and　consequently　depreciatory　remarks　or　ridicule；　whether　of　our　appearance　or　conduct；　causes　us　to　blush　much　more　readily　than　does　praise。　But　undoubtedly　praise　and　admiration　are　highly　efficient：　a　pretty　girl　blushes　when　a　man　gazes　intently　at　her；　though　she　may　know　perfectly　well　that　he　is　not　depreciating　her。　Many　children；　as　well　as　old　and　sensitive　persons　blush；　when　they　are　much　praised。　　Hereafter　the　question　will　be　discussed；　how　it　has　arisen　that　the　consciousness　that　others　are　attending　to　our　personal　appearance　should　have　led　to　the　capillaries；　especially　those　of　the　face；　instantly　becoming　filled　with　blood。

My　reasons　for　believing　that　attention　directed　to　personal　appearance；　and　not　to　moral　conduct；　has　been　the　fundamental　element　in　the　acquirement　of　the　habit　of　blushing；　will　now　be　given。　They　are　separately　light；　but　combined　possess；　as　it　appears　to　me；　considerable　weight。　　It　is　notorious　that　nothing　makes　a　shy　person　blush　so　much　as　any　remark；　however　slight；　on　his　personal　appearance。　　One　cannot　notice　even　the　dress　of　a　woman　much　given　to　blushing；　wihout　causing　her　face　to　crimson。　It　is　sufficient　to　stare　hard　at　some　persons　to　make　them；　as　Coleridge　remarks；　blush；〃account　for　that　he　who　can。〃＇23＇

With　the　two　albinos　observed　by　Dr。　Burgess；＇24＇　〃the　slightest　attempt　to　examine　their　peculiarities　invariably〃　caused　them　to　blush　deeply。　Women　are　much　more　sensitive　about　their　personal　appearance　than　men　are；　especially　elderly　women　in　comparison　with　elderly　men；　and　they　blush　much　more　freely。　　The　young　of　both　sexes　are　much　more　sensitive　on　this　same　head　than　the　old；　and　they　also　blush　much　more　freely　than　the　old。　Children　at　a　very　early　age　do　not　blush；　nor　do　they　show　those　other　signs　of　self…consciousness　which　generally　accompany　blushing；　and　it　is　one　of　their　chief　charms　that　they　think　nothing　about　what　others　think　of　them。　At　this　early　age　they　will　stare　at　a　stranger　with　a　fixed　gaze　and　un…blinking　eyes；　as　on　an　inanimate　object；　in　a　manner　which　we　elders　cannot　imitate。


＇23＇　In　a　discussion　on　so…called　animal　magnetism　in　‘Table　Talk；'　vol。　　i。

＇24＇　Ibid。　　p。　　40。

It　is　plain　to　every　one　that　young　men　and　women　are　highly　sensitive　to　the　opinion　of　each　other　with　reference　to　their　personal　appearance；　and　they　blush　incomparably　more　in　the　presence　of　the　opposite　sex　than　in　that　of　their　own。＇25＇　A　young　man；　not　very　liable　to　blush；　will　blush　intensely　at　any　slight　ridicule　of　his　appearance　from　a　girl　whose　judgment　on　any　important　subject　lie　would　disregard。　No　happy　pair　of　young　lovers；　valuing　each　other's　admiration　and　love　more　than　anything　else　in　the　world；　probably　ever　courted　each　other　without　many　a　blush。　　Even　the　barbarians　of　Tierra　del　Fuego；　according　to　Mr。　Bridges；　blush　〃chiefly　in　regard　to　women；　but　certainly　also　at　their　own　personal　appearance。〃

Of　all　parts　of　the　body；　the　face　is　most　considered　and　regarded；　as　is　natural　from　its　being　the　chief　seat　of　expression　and　the　source　of　the　voice。　　It　is　also　the　chief　seat　of　beauty　and　of　ugliness；　and　throughout　the　world　is　the　most　ornamented。＇26＇　The　face；　therefore；　will　have　been　subjected　during　many　generations　to　much　closer　and　more　earnest　self…attention　than　any　other　part　of　the　body；　and　in　accordance　with　the　principle　here　advanced　we　can　understand　why　it　should　be　the　most　liable　to　blush。　Although　exposure　to　alternations　of　temperature；　&c。；　has　probably　much　increased　the　power　of　dilatation　and　contraction　in　the　capillaries　of　the　face　and　adjoining　parts；　yet　this　by　itself　will　hardly　account　for　these　parts　blushing　much　more　than　the　rest　of　the　body；　for　it　does　not　explain　the　fact　of　the　hands　rarely　blushing。　With　Europeans　the　whole　body　tingles　slightly　when　the　face　blushes　intensely；　and　with　the　races　of　men　who　habitually　go　nearly　naked；　the　blushes　extend　over　a　much　larger　surface　than　with　us。　These　facts　are；　to　a　certain　extent；　intelligible；　as　the　self…attention　of　primeval　man；　as　well　as　of　the　existing　races　which　still　go　naked；　will　not　have　been　so　exclusively　confined　to　their　faces；　as　is　the　case　with　the　people　who　now　go　clothed。


＇25＇　Mr。　Bain　（‘The　Emotions　and　the　Will；'　1865；　p。　　65）　remarks　on　〃the　shyness　of　manners　which　is　induced　between　the　sexes　。。。。　from　the　influence　of　mutual　regard；　by　the　apprehension　on　either　side　of　not　standing　well　with　the　other。〃

＇26＇　See；　for　evidence　on　this　subject；　‘The　Descent　of　Man；'　&c。；　vol。　　ii。　　pp。　　71；　341。

We　have　seen　that　in　all　parts　of　the　world　persons　who　feel　shame　for　some　moral　delinquency；　are　apt　to　avert；　bend　down；　or　hide　their　faces；　independently　of　any　thought　about　their　personal　appearance。　The　object　can　hardly　be　to　conceal　their　blushes；　for　the　face　is　thus　averted　or　hidden　under　circumstances　which　exclude　any　desire　to　conceal　shame；　as　when　guilt　is　fully　confessed　and　repented　of。　It　is；　however；　probable　that　primeval　man　before　he　had　acquired　much　moral　sensitiveness　would　have　been　highly　sensitive　about　his　personal　appearance；　at　least　in　reference　to　the　other　sex；　and　he　would　consequently　have　felt　distress　at　any　depreciatory　remarks　about　his　appearance；　and　this　is　one　form　of　shame。　And　as　the　face　is　the　part　of　the　body　which　is　most　regarded；　it　is　intelligible　that　any　one　ashamed　of　his　personal　appearance　would　desire　to　conceal　this　part　of　his　body。　　The　habit　having　been　thus　acquired；　would　naturally　be　carried　on　when　shame　from　strictly　moral　causes　was　felt；　and　it　is　not　easy　otherwise　to　see　why　under　these　circumstances　there　should　be　a　desire　to　hide　the　face　more　than　any　other　part　of　the　body。

The　habit；　so　general　with　every　one　who　feels　ashamed；　of　turning　away；　or　lowering　his　eyes；　or　restlessly　moving　them　from　side　to　side；　probably　follows　from　each　glance　directed　towards　those　present；　bringing　home　the　conviction　that　he　is　intently　regarded；　and　he　endeavours；　by　not　looking　at　those　present；　and　especially　not　at　their　eyes；　momentarily　to　escape　from　this　painful　conviction。


_Shyness_。This　odd　state　of　mind；　often　called　shamefacedness；　or　false　shame；　or　_mauvaise　honte_；　appears　to　be　one　of　the　most　efficient　of　all　the　causes　of　blushing。　　Shyness　is；　indeed；　chiefly　recognized　by　the　face　reddening；　by　the　eyes　being　averted　or　cast　down；　and　by　awkward；　nervous　movements　of　the　body。　Many　a　woman　blushes　from　this　cause；　a　hundred；　perhaps　a　thousand　times；　to　once　that　she　blushes　from　having　done　anything　deserving　blame；　and　of　which　she　is　truly　ashamed。　Shyness　seems　to　depend　on　sensitiveness　to　the　opinion；　whether　good　or　bad；　of　others；　more　especially　with　respect　to　external　appearance。　　Strangers　neither　know　nor　care　anything　about　our　condu