INTRODUCTION. 17 



specify their names, &c, towards the close of this chap- 

 ter, so as not to interrupt my present remarks. The 

 answers relate to several of the most distinct and savage 

 races of man. In many instances, the circumstances 

 have been recorded under which each expression was 

 observed, and the expression itself described. In such 

 cases, much confidence may be placed in the answers. 

 When the answers have been simply yes or no, I have 

 always received them with caution. It follows, from 

 the information thus acquired, that the same state of 

 mind is expressed throughout the world with remark- 

 able uniformity; and this fact is in itself interesting 

 as evidence of the close similarity in bodilv structure 

 and mental disposition of all the races of mankind. 



Sixthly, and lastly, I have attended, as closely as I 

 could, to the expression of the several passions in some 

 of the commoner animals; and this I believe to be of 

 paramount importance, not of course for deciding how 

 far in man certain expressions are characteristic of 

 certain states of mind, but as affording the safest basis 

 for generalisation on the causes, or origin, of the various 

 movements of Expression. In observing animals, we 

 are not so likely to be biassed by our imagination; and 

 Ave may feel safe that their expressions are not conven- 

 tional. 



From the reasons above assigned, namely, the fleeting 

 nature of some expressions (the changes in the features 

 being often extremely slight); our sympathy being 

 easily aroused when we behold any strong emotion, 

 and our attention thus distracted; our imagination de- 

 ceiving us, from knowing in a vague manner what to 

 expect, though certainly few of us know what the ex- 

 act changes in the countenance are; and lastly, even 

 our long familiarity with the subject, — from all these 



