The expression of the emotions in man and animals / by Charles Darwin.

  • Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882.
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The expression of the emotions in man and animals / by Charles Darwin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    forms. Consequently, when I read Sir C. Bell's great work, his view, that man had heen created with cer- tain muscles si)ecially adapted for the exi)ression of his feelings, struck me as unsatisfactory. It seemed prohable that the habit of expressing our feelings by certain movements, though now rendered innate, had been in some manner gradually acquired. But to dis- cover how such habits had been acquired was perplex- ing in no small degree. The whole subject had to be viewed under a new aspect, and each expression de- manded a rational explanation. This belief led me to attempt the present work, however imperfectly it may have been executed. I will now give the names of the gentlemen to whom, as I have said, I am deeply indebted for information in regard to the expressions exhibited by various races of man, and I will specify some of the circumstances under which the observations were in each case made. Owing to the great kindness and powerful influence of Mr. Wilson, of Hayes Place, Kent, I have received from Australia no less than thirteen sets of answers to my queries. This has been particularly fortunate, as the Australian aborigines rank amongst the most distinct of all the races of man. It will be seen that the observa- tions have been chiefly made in the south, in the out- lying parts of the colony of Victoria; but some excel- lent answers have been received from the north. Mr. Dyson Lacy has given me in detail some valu- able observations, made several hundred miles in the 'interior of Queensland. To Mr. R. Brough Smyth, of ^lelbourne, I am much indebted for observations made by himself, and for sending me several of the following letters, namely:—From the Eev. Mr. Hagenaucr, of