Fifthly, it seemed to me highly important to ascertain whether the same
expressions and gestures prevail, as has often been asserted without
much evidence, with all the races of mankind, especially with those who
have associated but little with Europeans. Whenever the same movements
of the features or body express the same emotions in several distinct
races of man, we may infer with much probability, that such expressions
are true ones,—that is, are innate or instinctive. Conventional
expressions or gestures, acquired by the individual during early life,
would probably have differed in the different races, in the same manner
as do their languages. Accordingly I circulated, early in the year
1867, the following printed queries with a request, which has been
fully responded to, that actual observations, and not memory, might be
trusted. These queries were written after a considerable interval of
time, during which my attention had been otherwise directed, and I can
now see that they might have been greatly improved. To some of the
later copies, I appended, in manuscript, a few additional remarks:—
(1.) Is astonishment expressed by the eyes and mouth being opened wide,
and by the eyebrows being raised?
(2.) Does shame excite a blush when the colour of the skin allows it to
be visible? and especially how low down the body does the blush extend?
(3.) When a man is indignant or defiant does he frown, hold his body
and head erect, square his shoulders and clench his fists?
(4) When considering deeply on any subject, or trying to understand any
puzzle, does he frown, or wrinkle the skin beneath the lower eyelids?
(5.) When in low spirits, are the corners of the mouth depressed, and
the inner corner of the eyebrows raised by that muscle which the French
call the “Grief muscle”? The eyebrow in this state becomes slightly
oblique, with a little swelling at the Inner end; and the forehead is
transversely wrinkled in the middle part, but not across the whole
breadth, as when the eyebrows are raised in surprise.
(6.) When in good spirits do the eyes sparkle, with the skin a little
wrinkled round and under them, and with the mouth a little drawn back
at the corners?
(7.) When a man sneers or snarls at another, is the corner of the upper
lip over the canine or eye tooth raised on the side facing the man whom
he addresses?
(8) Can a dogged or obstinate expression be recognized, which is
chiefly shown by the mouth being firmly closed, a lowering brow and a
slight frown?
(9.) Is contempt expressed by a slight protrusion of the lips and by
turning up the nose, and with a slight expiration?
(10) Is disgust shown by the lower lip being turned down, the upper lip
slightly raised, with a sudden expiration, something like incipient
vomiting, or like something spit out of the mouth?
(11.) Is extreme fear expressed in the same general manner as with
Europeans?
(12.) Is laughter ever carried to such an extreme as to bring tears
into the eyes?
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