The physical accompaniments of E. are a part of its nature. It has been remarked in all ages, that every strong passion has a certain outward expression or embodiment, which is the token of its presence to the beholder. The child soon learns to interpret the signs of feeling. Joy, grief, affection, fear, rage, wonder, have each a character istic expression; and painters,, sculptors, and poets, have adopted the demeanor of pas •sion as a subject for their art. There mist be 'some deep connection in the human frame between the inward states of consciousness and the physical or corporeal activi ties, to produce results so uniform throughout the human race. When we study the facts closely, we obtain decisive proof of the concurrence of the following members and organs in the manifestation of feeling.
In the first place, the muscles or moving organs are affected. Under strong excite ment, the whole body is animated to gesticulation; in less powerful feelings, the expres sion confines itself more to the features or the movements of the face. These last have been analyzed by sir Charles Bell. The face has three centers of movement—the mouth, eyes, and nose; the mouth being most susceptible, and therefore the most expressive feat ure. In the eyes, expression is constituted by the two opposite movements of the eye brows; the one raising and arching them (prompted by a muscle of the scalp, tells), the other corrugating and wrinkling them. The one movement is associated with pleasing states, the other with painful. The nose is acted on by several muscles, the most considerable of which is one that raises the wing together with the upper lip, and is brought into play under the disgust of a bad smell and in expressing dislike generally. The mouth is principally made up of one ring-like muscle (orbicularis), from which nine pairs radiate to the cheeks and face. In pleasing emotions, the mouth is drawn out by the action of two pairs of muscles, named the buccinator and. zygomatic, situated in the cheek. The expression of pain is determined by the contraction of the aperture of the mouth, through the relaxation of those muscles, and the contraction of the ring-like muscle that constitutes the flesh of the lips; and by two muscles in the chin, one depressing the angle of the mouth, and the other raising the middle of the lower lip, as in pouting. Besides the features, the voice is instinctively affected under strong feel ings; the shouts of hilarious excitement, the cry of sharp pain, and the moan of pro tracted agony, are universally known. Another important muscle of expression is the
diaphragm, or midriff, a large muscle dividing the chest from the abdomen, and regu larly operating in expiration. In laughter, this muscle is affected to convulsion.
In the second place, the organic functions of the system are decidedly influenced for good or evil under emotion. The glandular and other organs acted on in this way comprehend the most important viscera of the body. The lachrymal secretion is spe cifically affected under passion; the flow of tears being accelerated to a rush, instead of pursuing the tranquil course of keeping the eyeball moist and clean. The states of the sexual organs are connected with the strongest feelings of the mind, being both the cause and the effect of mental excitement. The digestion is greatly subject to the feel ings, being promoted by joy and hilarity, not in too great excess, and arrested and dis turbed under pain, grief, terror, anger, and intense bodily or mental occupation. The skin is known to respond to the condition of the mind; the cold sweat in fear is a of its healthy functions. The respiration may be quickened or depressed according to the feelings. The action of the heart and the circulation of the blood are subject to the same causes. The nature of this influence was explained under Bixsn ING. Lastly, in women, the lacteal secretion participates in the states of E., being abundant, healthy, and a source of pleasure in a tranquil condition of mind, while grief and strong passions change it to a deleterious quality.
The connection between mental E. and bodily states being thus a fact confirmed by the universal experience of mankind, can we explain this connection upon any genera] law or principle of the human constitntion? Have we any clue to the mysterious selec tion of some actions as expressing pleasure, and others as expressing pain? The reply is, that there is one principle or clue that unravels much of the complexity of this sub that states of pleasure are usually accompanied with an increase in some or all of the vital functions, and states of pain with a depression or weakening of vital func tions. This position may be maintained on a very wide induction of facts, many of them very generally recognized, and others open to any careful observer; there being, however, some appearances of an opposite kind, which have to be satisfactorily accounted for, before we can consider it as fully established.