C6 THE PRINCIPLE OF THE DIRECT Chap. III. 



CHAPTER III. 

 General Principles of Expression — concluded. 



The principle of direct action of the excited nervous sys- 

 tem on the body, independently of the will and in part 

 of habit — Change of colour in the hair — Trembling of 

 the muscles — Modified secretions — Perspiration — Ex- 

 pression of extreme pain — Of rage, great joy, and 

 terror — Contrast between the emotions which cause 

 and do not cause expressive movements — Exciting and 

 depressing states of the mind — Summary. 



We now come to our third Principle, namely, that cer- 

 tain actions which we recognize as expressive of certain 

 states of the mind, are the direct result of the consti- 

 tution of the nervous system, and have been from the 

 first independent of the will, and, to a large extent, of 

 habit. When the sensorium is strongly excited nerve- 

 force is generated in excess, and is transmitted in certain 

 directions, dependent on the connection of the nerve- 

 cells, and, as far as the muscular system is concerned, 

 on the nature of the movements which have been ha- 

 bitually practised. Or the supply of nerve-force may, 

 as it appears, be interrupted. Of course every movement 

 which we make is determined by the constitution of 

 the nervous system; but actions performed in obedience 

 to the will, or through habit, or through the principle 

 of antithesis, are here as far as possible excluded. Our 



present subject is very obscure, but, from its impor- 



66 



