10 INTRODUCTION. 



All the authors who have written on Expression, 

 with the exception of Mr. Spencer — the great expounder 

 of the principle of Evolution — appear to have been 

 firmly convinced that species, man of course included, 

 came into existence in their present condition. Sir C. 

 Bell, being thus convinced, maintains that many of 

 our facial muscles are " purely instrumental in expres- 

 sion; " or are " a special provision " for this sole ob- 

 ject. 12 But the simple fact that the anthropoid apes 

 possess the same facial muscles as we do, 13 renders it 

 very improbable that these muscles in our case serve 

 exclusively for expression; for no one, I presume, would 

 be inclined to admit that monkeys have been endowed 

 with special muscles solely for exhibiting their hideous 

 grimaces. Distinct uses, independently of expression, 

 can indeed be assigned with much probability for almost 

 all the facial muscles. 



Sir C. Bell evidently wished to draw as broad a dis- 

 tinction as possible between man and the lower animals; 

 and he consequently asserts that with " the lower crea- 

 tures there is no expression but what may be referred, 

 more or less plainly, to their acts of volition or neces- 

 sary instincts." He further maintains that their faces 

 " seem chiefly capable of expressing rage and fear." 14 

 But man himself cannot express love and humility by 

 external signs, so plainly as does a dog, when with droop- 

 ing ears, hanging lips, flexuous body, and wagging tail, 

 he meets his beloved master. Nor can these movements 



12 4 

 13 



Anatomy of Expression,' 3rd edit. pp. 98, 121, 131. 

 Professor Owen expressly states (Proc. Zoolog". Soc. 

 1830, p. 28) that this is the case with respect to the Orang", 

 and specifies all the more important muscles which are 

 well known to serve with man for the expression of his 

 feelings. See, also, a description of several of the facial 

 muscles in the Chimpanzee, by Prof. Macalister, in ' Annals 

 and Magazine of Natural History,' vol. vii. May, 1871, p. 

 342. 



14 * Anatomy of Expression,' pp. 121, 138. 



