BABIES AND MONKEYS. 387 



newly born baby to retract the corners of the lips in order to 

 expose teeth which are still hidden in the gnm is a ludicrously 

 futile process ; yet it shows in an extraordinary manner that a 

 habit once acquired may remain, polarized, as it might be called, 

 long after all reason for its acquirement and use had passed away. 



From sadness to joy is a very welcome transition ; and conse- 

 quently a few remarks upon the method of expressing pleasure 

 will not unsuitably follow those on the expression of pain. To 

 show that they are pleased, human beings frequently draw up and 

 wrinkle the nose the while they elevate the upper lip so as ta ex- 

 pose the teeth. The same action may be noticed in terriers to 

 express pleasure, and it is called "grinning" : in children it is a 

 remarkably common feature. It is not general among adults ; 

 but when it be a regular habit in any individual it leads to the 

 formation of obliquely transverse furrows each side of the nose, 

 and so gives to the face a definite and somewhat amiable expres- 

 sion, which may degenerate into an unfortunate peculiarity. 



The origin of this expression does not seem to have been any 

 wish to expose the teeth, but rather a desire to sniff in as much as 

 possible. Animals derive their greatest pleasures from the satis- 

 faction of the sexual and gastric appetites ; and all odors asso- 

 ciated with such satisfaction would become pleasing, because they 

 would suggest pleasant ideas to the senses. It would be pleasant, 

 then, to inhale such odors, as the odor of a good dinner is pleasant 

 to a hungry man about to enjoy it ; and he expresses his satisfac- 

 tion by sniffs. The rapid repetition of a series of sniffs in suc- 

 cession, necessitating certain convulsive movements of the stom- 

 ach, may have been the initiation of that expression of delight 

 called " laughter," which consists in a series of quick convulsive 

 stomachic movements coupled with certain guttural cacklings. 



What might be called the genesis of our expressions, or their 

 historical development in the phyletic series to which man be- 

 longs, opens a very wide field. Darwin has attacked it in his 

 Expression of the Emotions ; but, though he has collected a great 

 store of most interesting facts, the theories and conclusions which 

 he formed in connection therewith are sometimes not so satisfac- 

 tory as they should be. Particularly does this apply to his prin- 

 ciple of antithesis, which it is admitted in a note to the second 

 edition (page 52) has not met with much acceptance. This can 

 hardly be wondered at ; because it seems so totally opposed to 

 that gradual acquirement and development which the Darwinian 

 doctrine supposes. Space does not allow a further consideration 

 of this subject, more than to say that, like other animals, chil- 

 dren's actions when at play show mimic warfare and perverted 

 inheritance of sexual instinct. Love and war, which played such 

 important parts among prehuman ancestors, have left their mark 



