第 46 节
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忙 更新:2021-02-27 02:15 字数:9322
ns on the forehead and neck distended。 The reddening of the skin has been observed with the copper…coloured Indians of South America;'2' and even; as it is said; on the white cicatrices left by old wounds on negroes。'3' Monkeys also redden from passion。 With one of my own infants; under four months old; I repeatedly observed that the first symptom of an approaching passion was the rushing of the blood into his bare scalp。 On the other hand; the action of the heart is sometimes so much impeded by great rage; that the countenance becomes pallid or livid;'4' and not a few men with heart…disease have dropped down dead under this powerful emotion。
'2' Rengger; Naturgesch。 der Saugethiere von Paraguay; 1830; s。 3。
'3' Sir C。 Bell; ‘Anatomy of Expression;' p。 96。 On the other hand; Dr。 Burgess (‘Physiology of Blushing;' 1839; p。 31) speaks of the reddening of a cicatrix in a negress as of the nature of a blush。
'4' Moreau and Gratiolet have discussed the colour of the face under the influence of intense passion: see the edit。 of 1820 of Lavater; vol。 iv。 pp。 282 and 300; and Gratiolet; ‘De la Physionomie;' p。 345。
The respiration is likewise affected; the chest heaves; and the dilated nostrils quiver。'5' As Tennyson writes; 〃sharp breaths of anger puffed her fairy nostrils out。〃 Hence we have such expressions as breathing out vengeance;〃 and 〃fuming with anger。〃'6'
The excited brain gives strength to the muscles; and at the same time energy to the will。 The body is commonly held erect ready for instant action; but sometimes it is bent forward towards the offending person; with the limbs more or less rigid。 The mouth is generally closed with firmness; showing fixed determination; and the teeth are clenched or ground together。 Such gestures as the raising of the arms; with the fists clenched; as if to strike the offender; are common。 Few men in a great passion; and telling some one to begone; can resist acting as if they intended to strike or push the man violently away。 The desire; indeed; to strike often becomes so intolerably strong; that inanimate objects are struck or dashed to the ground; but the gestures frequently become altogether purposeless or frantic。 Young children; when in a violent rage roll on the ground on their backs or bellies; screaming; kicking; scratching; or biting everything within reach。 So it is; as I hear from Mr。 Scott; with Hindoo children; and; as we have seen; with the young of the anthropomorphous apes。
'6' Sir C。 Bell ‘Anatomy of Expression;' pp。 91; 107) has fully discussed this subject。 Moreau remarks (in the edit。 of 1820 of ‘La Physionomie; par G。 Lavater;' vol。 iv。 p。 237); and quotes Portal in confirmation; that asthmatic patients acquire permanently expanded nostrils; owing to the habitual contraction of the elevatory muscles of the wings of the nose。 The explanation by Dr。 Piderit (‘Mimik und Physiognomik;' s。 82) of the distension of the nostrils; namely; to allow free breathing whilst the mouth is closed and the teeth clenched; does not appear to be nearly so correct as that by Sir C。 Bell; who attributes it to the sympathy (_i。 e_。 habitual co…action) of all the respiratory muscles。 The nostrils of an angry man may be seen to become dilated; although his mouth is open。
'7' Mr。 Wedgwood; ‘On the Origin of Language;' 1866; p。 76。 He also observes that the sound of hard breathing 〃is represented by the syllables _puff; huff; whiff_; whence a _huff_ is a fit of ill…temper。〃
But the muscular system is often affected in a wholly different way; for trembling is a frequent consequence of extreme rage。 The paralysed lips then refuse to obey the will; 〃and the voice sticks in the throat;〃'7' or it is rendered loud; harsh; and discordant。 If there be much and rapid speaking; the mouth froths。 The hair sometimes bristles; but I shall return to this subject in another chapter; when I treat of the mingled emotions of rage and terror。 There is in most cases a strongly…marked frown on the forehead; for this follows from the sense of anything displeasing or difficult; together with concentration of mind。 But sometimes the brow; instead of being much contracted and lowered; remains smooth; with the glaring eyes kept widely open。 The eyes are always bright; or may; as Homer expresses it; glisten with fire。 They are sometimes bloodshot; and are said to protrude from their socketsthe result; no doubt; of the head being gorged with blood; as shown by the veins being distended。 According to Gratiolet;〃 the pupils are always contracted in rage; and I hear from Dr。 Crichton Browne that this is the case in the fierce delirium of meningitis; but the movements of the iris under the influence of the different emotions is a very obscure subject。
Shakspeare sums up the chief characteristics of rage as follows:
〃In peace there's nothing so becomes a man; As modest stillness and humility; But when the blast of war blows in our ears; Then imitate the action of the tiger: Stiffen the sinews; summon up the blood; Then lend the eye a terrible aspect; Now set the teeth; and stretch the nostril wide; Hold hard the breath; and bend up every spirit To his full height! On; on; you noblest English。〃 _Henry V_。; act iii。 sc。 1。
'7' Sir C。 Bell ‘Anatomy of Expression;' p。 95) has some excellent remarks on the expression of rage。
'8' ‘De la Physionomie;' 1865; p。 346。
The lips are sometimes protruded during rage in a manner; the meaning of which I do not understand; unless it depends on our descent from some ape…like animal。 Instances have been observed; not only with Europeans; but with the Australians and Hindoos。 The lips; however; are much more commonly retracted; the grinning or clenched teeth being thus exposed。 This has been noticed by almost every one who has written on expression。'9' The appearance is as if the teeth were uncovered; ready for seizing or tearing an enemy; though there may be no intention of acting in this manner。 Mr。 Dyson Lacy has seen this grinning expression with the Australians; when quarrelling; and so has Gaika with the Kafirs of South America。 Dickens;'10' in speaking of an atrocious murderer who had just been caught; and was surrounded by a furious mob; describes 〃the people as jumping up one behind another; snarling with their teeth; and making at him like wild beasts。〃 Every one who has had much to do with young children must have seen how naturally they take to biting; when in a passion。 It seems as instinctive in them as in young crocodiles; who snap their little jaws as soon as they emerge from the egg。
'9' Sir C。 Bell; ‘Anatomy of Expression;' p。 177。 Gratiolet (De la Phys。 p。 369) says; ‘les dents se decouvrent; et imitent symboliquement l'action de dechirer et de mordre。'I If; instead of using the vague term _symboliquement_; Gratiolet had said that the action was a remnant of a habit acquired during primeval times when our semi…human progenitors fought together with their teeth; like gorillas and orangs at the present day; he would have been more intelligible。 Dr。 Piderit (‘Mimik;' &c。; s。 82) also speaks of the retraction of the upper lip during rage。 In an engraving of one of Hogarth's wonderful pictures; passion is represented in the plainest manner by the open glaring eyes; frowning forehead; and exposed grinning teeth。
'10' ‘Oliver Twist;' vol。 iii。 p。 245。
A grinning expression and the protrusion of the lips appear sometimes to go together。 A close observer says that he has seen many instances of intense hatred (which can hardly be distinguished from rage; more or less suppressed) in Orientals; and once in an elderly English woman。 In all these cases there 〃was a grin; not a scowlthe lips lengthening; the cheeks settling downwards; the eyes half…closed; whilst the brow remained perfectly calm。〃'11'
This retraction of the lips and uncovering of the teeth during paroxysms of rage; as if to bite the offender; is so remarkable; considering how seldom the teeth are used by men in fighting; that I inquired from Dr。 J。 Crichton Browne whether the habit was common in the insane whose passions are unbridled。 He informs me that he has repeatedly observed it both with the insane and idiotic; and has given me the following illustrations:
Shortly before receiving my letter; be witnessed an uncontrollable outbreak of anger and delusive jealousy in an insane lady。 At first she vituperated her husband; and whilst doing so foamed at the mouth。 Next she approached close to him with compressed lips; and a virulent set frown。 Then she drew back her lips; especially the corners of the upper lip; and showed her teeth; at the same time aiming a vicious blow at him。 A second case is that of an old soldier; who; when he is requested to conform to the rules of the establishment; gives way to discontent; terminating in fury。 He commonly begins by asking Dr。 Browne whether he is not ashamed to treat him in such a manner。 He then swears and blasphemes; paces tip and down; tosses his arms wildly about; and menaces any one near him。 At last; as his exasperation culminates; he rushes up towards Dr。 Browne with a peculiar sidelong movement; shaking his doubled fist; and threatening destruction。 Then his upper lip may