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the expression of emotion in man and animals-第62章

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details; I am afraid of implicitly trusting them。 It is; however; by no means improbable that this animal…like expression may be more common with savages than with civilized races。  Mr。 Geach is an observer who may be fully trusted; and he has observed it on one occasion in a Malay in the interior of Malacca。  The Rev。 S。 O。 Glenie answers; 〃We have observed this expression with the natives of Ceylon; but not often。〃 Lastly; in North America; Dr。 Rothrock has seen it with some wild Indians; and often in a tribe adjoining the Atnahs。

Although the upper lip is certainly sometimes raised on one side alone in sneering at or defying any one; I do not know that this is always the case; for the face is commonly half averted; and the expression is often momentary。 The movement being confined to one side may not be an essential part of the expression; but may depend on the proper muscles being incapable of movement excepting on one side。 I asked four persons to endeavour to act voluntarily in this manner; two could expose the canine only on the left side; one only on the right side; and the fourth on neither side。 Nevertheless it is by no means certain that these same persons;  if defying any one in earnest; would not unconsciously have uncovered their canine tooth on the side; whichever it might be; towards the offender。  For we have seen that some persons cannot voluntarily make their eyebrows oblique; yet instantly act in this manner when affected by any real; although most trifling; cause of distress。  The power of voluntarily uncovering the canine on one side of the face being thus often wholly lost; indicates that it is a rarely used and almost abortive action。 It is indeed a surprising fact that man should possess the power; or should exhibit any tendency to its use; for Mr。 Sutton has never noticed a snarling action in our nearest allies; namely; the monkeys in the Zoological Gardens; and he is positive that the baboons; though furnished with great canines; never act thus; but uncover all their teeth when feeling savage and ready for an attack。 Whether the adult anthropomorphous apes; in the males of whom the canines are much larger than in the females; uncover them when prepared to fight; is not known。

The expression here considered; whether that of a playful sneer or ferocious snarl; is one of the most curious which occurs in man。 It reveals his animal descent; for no one; even if rolling on the ground in a deadly grapple with an enemy; and attempting to bite him; would try to use his canine teeth more than his other teeth。 We may readily believe from our affinity to the anthropomorphous apes that our male semi…human progenitors possessed great canine teeth; and men are now occasionally born having them of unusually large size; with interspaces in the opposite jaw for their reception。'17' We may further suspect; notwithstanding that we have no support from analogy; that our semi…human progenitors uncovered their canine teeth when prepared for battle; as we still do when feeling ferocious; or when merely sneering at or defying some one; without any intention of making a real attack with our teeth。


'17' ‘The Descent of Man;' 1871; vol。  L p。  126。  CHAPTER XI。

DISDAINCONTEMPTDISGUST…GUILTPRIDE; ETC。HELPLESSNESSPATIENCE AFFIRMATION AND NEGATION。

Contempt; scorn and disdain; variously expressedDerisive smile Gestures expressive of contemptDisgustGuilt; deceit; pride; &c。 Helplessness or impotencePatienceObstinacyShrugging the shoulders common to most of the races of manSigns of affirmation and negation。


SCORN and disdain can hardly be distinguished from contempt; excepting that they imply a rather more angry frame of mind。 Nor can they be clearly distinguished from the feelings discussed in the last chapter under the terms of sneering and defiance。 Disgust is a sensation rather more distinct in its nature and refers to something revolting; primarily in relation to the sense of taste; as actually perceived or vividly imagined; and secondarily to anything which causes a similar feeling; through the sense of smell; touch; and even of eyesight。 Nevertheless; extreme contempt; or as it is often called loathing contempt; hardly differs from disgust。  These several conditions of the mind are; therefore; nearly related; and each of them may be exhibited in many different ways。 Some writers have insisted chiefly on one mode of expression; and others on a different mode。  From this circumstance M。 Lemoine has argued'1' that their descriptions are not trustworthy。 But we shall immediately see that it is natural that the feelings which we have here to consider should be expressed in many different ways; inasmuch as various habitual actions serve equally well; through the principle of association; for their expression。

Scorn and disdain; as well as sneering and defiance; may be displayed by a slight uncovering of the canine tooth on one side of the face; and this movement appears to graduate into one closely like a smile。 Or the smile or laugh may be real; although one of derision; and this implies that the offender is so insignificant that he excites only amusement; but the amusement is generally a pretence。 Gaika in his answers to my queries remarks; that contempt is commonly shown by his countrymen; the Kafirs; by smiling; and the Rajah Brooke makes the same observation with respect to the Dyaks of Borneo。  As laughter is primarily the expression of simple joy; very young children do not; I believe; ever laugh in derision。

The partial closure of the eyelids; as Duchenne'2' insists; or the turning away of the eyes or of the whole body; are likewise highly expressive of disdain。  These actions seem to declare that the despised person is not worth looking at or is disagreeable to behold。  The accompanying photograph (Plate V。 fig。  1) by Mr。 Rejlander; shows this form of disdain。 It represents a young lady; who is supposed to be tearing up the photograph of a despised lover。

The most common method of expressing contempt is by movements about the nose; or round the mouth; but the latter movements; when strongly pronounced; indicate disgust。  The nose may be slightly turned up; which apparently follows from the turning up of the upper lip; or the movement may be abbreviated into the mere wrinkling of the nose。 The nose is often slightly contracted; so as partly to close the passage;'3' and this is commonly accompanied by a slight snort or expiration。 All these actions are the same with those which we employ when we perceive an offensive odour; and wish to exclude or expel it。 In extreme cases; as Dr。 Piderit remarks;'4' we protrude and raise both lips; or the upper lip alone; so as to close the nostrils as by a valve; the nose being thus turned up。  We seem thus to say to the despised person that he smells offensively;'5' in nearly the same manner as we express to him by half…closing our eyelids; or turning away our faces; that he is not worth looking at。 It must not; however; be supposed that such ideas actually pass through the mind when we exhibit our contempt; but as whenever we have perceived a disagreeable odour or seen a disagreeable sight; actions of this kind have been performed; they have become habitua
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