the expression of emotion in man and animals- 第49部分

＇3＇　‘The　Anatomy　of　Expression；'　p。　　106。

The　cause　of　the　mouth　being　opened　when　astonishment　is　felt；　is　a　much　more　complex　affair；　and　several　causes　apparently　concur　in　leading　to　this　movement。　　It　has　often　been　supposed＇5＇　that　the　sense　of　hearing　is　thus　rendered　more　acute；　but　I　have　watched　persons　listening　intently　to　a　slight　noise；　the　nature　and　source　of　which　they　knew　perfectly；　and　they　did　not　open　their　mouths。　Therefore　I　at　one　time　imagined　that　the　open　mouth　might　aid　in　distinguishing　the　direction　whence　a　sound　proceeded；　by　giving　another　channel　for　its　entrance　into　the　ear　through　the　eustachian　tube；　But　Dr。　W。　Ogle＇6＇　has　been　so　kind　as　to　search　the　best　recent　authorities　on　the　functions　of　the　eustachian　tube；　and　he　informs　me　that　it　is　almost　conclusively　proved　that　it　remains　closed　except　during　the　act　of　deglutition；　and　that　in　persons　in　whom　the　tube　remains　abnormally　open；　the　sense　of　hearing；　as　far　as　external　sounds　are　concerned；　is　by　no　means　improved；　on　the　contrary；　it　is　impaired　by　the　respiratory　sounds　being　rendered　more　distinct。　　If　a　watch　be　placed　within　the　mouth；　but　not　allowed　to　touch　the　sides；　the　ticking　is　heard　much　less　plainly　than　when　held　outside。　　In　persons　in　whom　from　disease　or　a　cold　the　eustachian　tube　is　permanently　or　temporarily　closed；　the　sense　of　hearing　is　injured；　but　this　may　be　accounted　for　by　mucus　accumulating　within　the　tube；　and　the　consequent　exclusion　of　air。　We　may　therefore　infer　that　the　mouth　is　not　kept　open　under　the　sense　of　astonishment　for　the　sake　of　hearing　sounds　more　distinctly；　notwithstanding　that　most　deaf　people　keep　their　mouths　open。


＇4＇　Mecanisme　de　la　Physionomie；'　Album；　p。　　6。

＇5＇　See；　for　instance；　Dr。　Piderit　（‘Mimik　und　Physiognomik；'　s。　88）；　who　has　a　good　discussion　on　the　expression　of　surprise。

＇6＇　Dr。　Murie　has　also　given　me　information　leading　to　the　same　conclusion；　derived　in　part　from　comparative　anatomy。

Every　sudden　emotion；　including　astonishment；　quickens　the　action　of　the　heart；　and　with　it　the　respiration。　　Now　we　can　breathe；　as　Gratiolet　remarks＇7＇　and　as　appears　to　me　to　be　the　case；　much　more　quietly　through　the　open　mouth　than　through　the　nostrils。　Therefore；　when　we　wish　to　listen　intently　to　any　sound；　we　either　stop　breathing；　or　breathe　as　quietly　as　possible；　by　opening　our　mouths；　at　the　same　time　keeping　our　bodies　motionless。　One　of　my　sons　was　awakened　in　the　night　by　a　noise　under　circumstances　which　naturally　led　to　great　care；　and　after　a　few　minutes　he　perceived　that　his　mouth　was　widely　open。　He　then　became　conscious　that　he　had　opened　it　for　the　sake　of　breathing　as　quietly　as　possible。　　This　view　receives　support　from　the　reversed　case　which　occurs　with　dogs。　A　dog　when　panting　after　exercise；　or　on　a　hot　day；　breathes　loudly；　but　if　his　attention　be　suddenly　aroused；　he　instantly　pricks　his　ears　to　listen；　shuts　his　mouth；　and　breathes　quietly；　as　he　is　enabled　to　do；　through　his　nostrils。

When　the　attention　is　concentrated　for　a　length　of　time　with　fixed　earnestness　on　any　object　or　subject；　all　the　organs　of　the　body　are　forgotten　and　neglected；＇8＇　and　as　the　nervous　energy　of　each　individual　is　limited　in　amount；　little　is　transmitted　to　any　part　of　the　system；　excepting　that　which　is　at　the　time　brought　into　energetic　action。　　Therefore　many　of　the　muscles　tend　to　become　relaxed；　and　the　jaw　drops　from　its　own　weight。　This　will　account　for　the　dropping　of　the　jaw　and　open　mouth　of　a　man　stupefied　with　amazement；　and　perhaps　when　less　strongly　affected。　I　have　noticed　this　appearance；　as　I　find　recorded　in　my　notes；　in　very　young　children　when　they　were　only　moderately　surprised。


＇7＇　‘De　la　Physionomie；'　1865；　p。　　234。

＇8＇　See；　on　this　subject；　Gratiolet；　ibid。　　p。　　254。

There　is　still　another　and　highly　effective　cause；　leading　to　the　mouth　being　opened；　when　we　are　astonished；　and　more　especially　when　we　are　suddenly　startled。　　We　can　draw　a　full　and　deep　inspiration　much　more　easily　through　the　widely　open　mouth　than　through　the　nostrils。　Now　when　we　start　at　any　sudden　sound　or　sight；　almost　all　the　muscles　of　the　body　are　involuntarily　and　momentarily　thrown　into　strong　action；　for　the　sake　of　guarding　ourselves　against　or　jumping　away　from　the　danger；　which　we　habitually　associate　with　anything　unexpected。　But　we　always　unconsciously　prepare　ourselves　for　any　great　exertion；　as　formerly　explained；　by　first　taking　a　deep　and　full　inspiration；　and　we　consequently　open　our　mouths。　　If　no　exertion　follows；　and　we　still　remain　astonished；　we　cease　for　a　time　to　breathe；　or　breathe　as　quietly　as　possible；　in　order　that　every　sound　may　be　distinctly　heard。　Or　again；　if　our　attention　continues　long　and　earnestly　absorbed；　all　our　muscles　become　relaxed；　and　the　jaw；　which　was　at　first　suddenly　opened；　remains　dropped。　　Thus　several　causes　concur　towards　this　same　movement；　whenever　surprise；　astonishment；　or　amazement　is　felt。

Although　when　thus　affected；　our　mouths　are　generally　opened；　yet　the　lips　are　often　a　little　protruded。　　This　fact　reminds　us　of　the　same　movement；　though　in　a　much　more　strongly　marked　degree；　in　the　chimpanzee　and　orang　when　astonished。　As　a　strong　expiration　naturally　follows　the　deep　inspiration　which　accompanies　the　first　sense　of　startled　surprise；　and　as　the　lips　are　often　protruded；　the　various　sounds　which　are　then　commonly　uttered　can　apparently　be　accounted　for。　But　sometimes　a　strong　expiration　alone　is　heard；　thus　Laura　Bridgman；　when　amazed；　rounds　and　protrudes　her　lips；　opens　them；　and　breathes　strongly。＇9＇　One　of　the　commonest　sounds　is　a　deep　_Oh_；　and　this　would　naturally　follow；　as　explained　by　Helmholtz；　from　the　mouth　being　moderately　opened　and　the　lips　protruded。　On　a　quiet　night　some　rockets　were　fired　from　the　‘Beagle；'　in　a　little　creek　at　Tahiti；　to　amuse　the　natives；　and　as　each　rocket；　was　let　off　there　was　absolute　silence；　but　this　was　invariably　followed　by　a　deep　groaning　_Oh_；　resounding　all　round　the　bay。　Mr。　Washington　Matthews　says　that　the　North　American　Indians　express　astonishment　by　a　groan；　and　the　negroes　on　the　West　Coast　of　Africa；　according　to　Mr。　Winwood　Reade；　protrude　their　lips；　and　make　a　sound　like　_heigh；　heigh_。　　If　the　mouth　is　not　much　opened；　whilst　the　lips　are　considerably　protruded；　a　blowing；　hissing；　or　whistling　noise　is　produced。　Mr。　R。　Brough　Smith　informs　me　that　an　Australian　from　the　interior　was　taken　to　the　theatre　to　see　an　acrobat　rapidly　turning　head　over　heels：　　〃he　was　greatly　astonished；　and　protruded　his　lips；　making　a　noise　with　his　mouth　as　if　blowing　out　a　match。〃　According　to　Mr。　Bulmer　the　Australians；　when　surprised；　utter　the　exclamation　_korki_；　〃and　to　do　this　the　mouth　is　drawn　out　as　if　going　to　whistle。〃　　We　Europeans　often　whistle　as　a　sign　of　surprise；　thus；　in　a　recent　novel＇10＇　it　is　said；　〃here　the　man　expressed　his　astonishment　and　disapprobation　by　a　prolonged　whistle。〃　　A　Kafir　girl；　as　Mr。　J。　Mansel　Weale　informs　me；　〃on　hearing　of　the　high　price　of　an　article；　raised　her　eyebrows　and　whistled　just　as　a　European　would。〃　Mr。　Wedgwood　remarks　that　such　sounds　are　written　down　as　_whew_；　and　they　serve　as　interjections　for　surprise。



＇9＇　Lieber；　‘On　the　Vocal　Sounds　of　Laura　Bridgman；'　Smithsonian　Contributions；　1851；　vol。　　ii。　　p。　　7。

＇10＇　‘Wenderholme；'　vol。　　ii。　　p。　　91。

According　to　three　other　observers；　the　Australians　often　evince　astonishment　by　a　clucking　noise。　　Europeans　also　sometimes　express　gentle　surprise　by　a　little　clicking　noise　of　nearly　the　same　kind。　We　have　seen　that　when　we　are　startled；　the　mouth　is　suddenly　opened；　and　if　the　tongue　happens　to　be　then　pressed　closely　against　the　palate；　its　sudden　withdrawal　will　produce　a　sound　of　this　kind；　which　might　thus　come　to　express　surprise。

Turning　to　gestures　of　the　body。　　A　surprised　person　often　raises　his　opened　hands　high　above　his　head；　or　by　bending　his　arms　only　to　the　level　of　his　face。　　The　flat　palms　are　directed　towards　the　person　who　causes　this　feeling；　and　the　straightened　fingers　are　separated。　　This　gesture　is　represented　by　Mr。　Rejlander　in　Plate　VII。　　fig。　　1。　　In　the　‘Last　Supper；'　by　Leonardo　da　Vinci；　two　of　the　Apostles　have　their　hands　half　uplifted；　clearly　expressive　of　their　astonishment。　A　trustworthy　observer　told　me　that　he　had　lately　met　his　wife　under　most　unexpected　circumstances：　　〃She　started；　opened　her　mouth　and　eyes　very　widely；　and　threw　up　both　her　arms　above　her　head。〃　Several　years　ago　I　was　surprised　by　seeing　several　of　my　young　children　earnestly　doing　something　together　on　the　ground；　but　the　distance　was　too　great　for　me　to　ask　what　they　were　about。　Therefore　I　threw　up　my　open　hands　with　extended　fingers　above　my　head；　and　as　soon　as　I　had　done　this；　I　became　conscious　of　the　action。　I　then　waited；　without　saying　a　word；　to　see　if　my　children　had　understood　this　gesture；　and　as　they　came　running　to　me　they　cried　out；　〃We　saw　that　you　were　astonished　at　us。〃　I　do　not　know　whether　this　gesture　is　common　to　the　various　races　of　man；　as　I　neglected　to　make　inquiries　on　this　head。　That　it　is　innate　or　natural　may　be　inferred　from　the　fact　that　Laura　Bridgman；　when　amazed；　〃spreads　her　arms　and　turns　her　hands　with　extended　fingers　upwards；〃＇11＇　nor　is　it　likely；　considering　that　the　feeling　of　surprise　is　generally　a　brief　one；　that　she　should　have　learnt　this　gesture　through　her　keen　sense　of　touch。

Huschke　describes＇12＇　a　somewhat　different　yet　allied　gesture；　which　he　says　is　exhibited　by　persons　when　astonished。　　They　hold　themselves　erect；　with　the　features　as　before　described；　but　with　the　straightened　arms　extended　backwardsthe　stretched　fingers　being　separated　from　each　other。　I　have　never　myself　seen　this　gesture；　but　Huschke　is　probably　correct；　for　a　friend　asked　another　man　how　he　would　express　great　astonishment；　and　he　at　once　threw　himself　into　this　attitude。

These　gestures　are；　I　believe；　explicable　on　the　principle　of　antithesis。　We　have　seen　that　an　indignant　man　holds　his　head　erect；　squares　his　shoulders；　turns　out　his　elbows；　often　clenches　his　fist；　frowns；　and　closes　his　mouth；　whilst　the　attitude　of　a　helpless　man　is　in　every　one　of　these　details　the　revers