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he face can be felt; exactly as occurs in the European。〃 With the Indians who inhabit the hot; equable; and damp parts of South America; the skin apparently does not answer to mental excitement so readily as with the natives of the northern and southern parts of the continent; who have long been exposed to great vicissitudes of climate; for Humboldt quotes without a protest the sneer of the Spaniard; 〃How can those be trusted; who know not how to blush?〃'14' Von Spix and Martius; in speaking of the aborigines of Brazil; assert that they cannot properly be said to blush; 〃it was only after long intercourse with the whites; and after receiving some education; that we perceived in the Indians a change of colour expressive of the emotions of their minds。〃'15' It is; however; incredible that the power of blushing could have thus originated; but the habit of self…attention; consequent on their education and new course of life; would have much increased any innate tendency to blush。
'12' J。 R。 Forster; ‘Observations during a Voyage round the World;' 4to; 1778; p。 229。 Waitz gives (‘Introduction to Anthropology;' Eng。 translat。 1863; vol。 i。 p。 135) references for other islands in the Pacific。 See; also; Dampier ‘On the Blushing of the Tunquinese' (vol。 ii。 p。 40); but I have not consulted this work。 Waitz quotes Bergmann; that the Kalmucks do not blush; but this may be doubted after what we have seen with respect to the Chinese。 He also quotes Roth; who denies that the Abyssinians are capable of blushing。 Unfortunately; Capt。 Speedy; who lived so long with the Abyssinians; has not answered my inquiry on this head。 Lastly; I must add that the Rajah Brooke has never observed the least sign of a blush with the Dyaks of Borneo; on the contrary under circumstances which would excite a blush in us; they assert 〃that they feel the blood drawn from their faces。〃
'13' Transact。 of the Ethnological Soc。 1870; vol。 ii。 p。 16。
Several trustworthy observers have assured me that they have seen on the faces of negroes an appearance resembling a blush; under circumstances which would have excited one in us; though their skins were of an ebony…black tint。 Some describe it as blushing brown; but most say that the blackness becomes more intense。 An increased supply of blood in the skin seems in some manner to increase its blackness; thus certain exanthematous diseases cause the affected places in the negro to appear blacker; instead of; as with us; redder。'16' The skin; perhaps; from being rendered more tense by the filling of the capillaries; would reflect a somewhat different tint to what it did before。 That the capillaries of the face in the negro become filled with blood; under the emotion of shame; we may feel confident; because a perfectly characterized albino negress; described by Buffon;'17' showed a faint tinge of crimson on her cheeks when she exhibited herself naked。 Cicatrices of the skin remain for a long time white in the negro; and Dr。 Burgess; who had frequent opportunities of observing a scar of this kind on the face of a negress; distinctly saw that it 〃invariably became red whenever she was abruptly spoken to; or charged with any trivial offence。〃'18' The blush could be seen proceeding from the circumference of the scar towards the middle; but it did not reach the centre。 Mulattoes are often great blushers; blush succeeding blush over their faces。 From these facts there can be no doubt that negroes blush; although no redness is visible on the skin。
'14' Humboldt; ‘Personal Narrative;' Eng。 translat。 vol。 iii。 p。 229。
'15' Quoted by Prichard; Phys。 Hist。 of Mankind; 4th edit 1851; vol。 i。 p。 271。
'16' See; on this head; Burgess; ibid。 p。 32。 Also Waitz; ‘Introdnction to Anthropology;' Eng。 edit。 vol。 i。 p。 139。 Moreau gives a detailed account (‘Lavater;' 1820; tom。 iv。 p。 302) of the blushing of a Madagascar negress…slave when forced by her brutal master to exhibit her naked bosom。
I am assured by Gaika and by Mrs。 Barber that the Kafirs of South Africa never blush; but this may only mean that no change of colour is distinguishable。 Gaika adds that under the circumstances which would make a; European blush; his countrymen 〃look ashamed to keep their heads up。〃
It is asserted by four of my informants that the Australians; who are almost as black as negroes; never blush。 A fifth answers doubtfully; remarking that only a very strong blush could be seen; on account of the dirty state of their skins。 Three observers state that they do blush;'19' Mr。 S。 Wilson adding that this is noticeable only under a strong emotion; and when the skin is not too dark from long exposure and want of cleanliness。 Mr。 Lang answers; 〃I have noticed that shame almost always excites a blush; which frequently extends as low as the neck。〃 Shame is also shown; as he adds; 〃by the eyes being turned from side to side。〃 As Mr。 Lang was a teacher in a native school; it is probable that he chiefly observed children; and we know that they blush more than adults。 Mr。 G。 Taplin has seen half…castes blushing; and he says that the aborigines have a word expressive of shame。 Mr。 Hagenauer; who is one of those who has never observed the Australians to blush; says that he has 〃seen them looking down to the ground on account of shame;〃 and the missionary; Mr。 Bulmer; remarks that though 〃I have not been able to detect anything like shame in the adult aborigines; I have noticed that the eyes of the children; when ashamed; present a restless; watery appearance; as if they did not know where to look。〃
'17' Quoted by Prichard; Phys。 Hist。 of Mankind; 4th edit。 1851; vol。 i。 p。 225。
'18' Burgess; ibid。 p。 31。 On mulattoes blushing; see p。 33。 I have received similar accounts with respect to; mulattoes。
'19' Barrington also says that the Australians of New South Wales blush; as quoted by Waitz; ibid。 p。 135。
The facts now given are sufficient to show that blushing; whether or not there is any change of colour; is common to most; probably to all; of the races of man。
_Movements and gestures which accompany Blushing_。Under a keen sense of shame there is a; strong desire for concealment。'20' We turn away the whole body; more especially the face; which we endeavour in some manner to hide。 An ashamed person can hardly endure to meet the gaze of those present; so that he almost invariably casts down his eyes or looks askant。 As there generally exists at the same time a strong wish to avoid the appearance of shame; a vain attempt is made to look direct at the person who causes this feeling; and the antagonism between these opposite tendencies leads to various restless movements in the eyes。 I have noticed two ladies who; whilst blushing; to which they are very liable; have thus acquired; as it appears; the oddest trick of incessantly blinking their eyelids with extraordinary rapidity。 An intense blush is sometimes accompanied by a slight effusion of tears;'21' and this; I presume; is due to the lacrymal glands partaking of the increased supply of blood; which we know rushes into the capillaries of the adjoining parts; including the retina。
'20' Mr。 Wedgwood says (Dict。 of English Etymology;