76 THE PRINCIPLE OF THE DIRECT Chap. III. 



outward gesture, but lie cannot check the secretion of 

 saliva. 



Under a transport of Joy or of vivid Pleasure, there is 

 a strong tendency to various purposeless movements, and 

 to the utterance of various sounds. AVe see this in our 

 young children, in their loud laughter, clapping of hands, 

 and jumping for joy; in the bounding and barking of a 

 dog when going out to walk with his master; and in the 

 frisking of a horse when turned out into an open field. 

 Joy quickens the circulation, and this stimulates the 

 brain, which again reacts on the whole body. The 

 above purposeless movements and increased heart-action 

 may be attributed in chief part to the excited state of 

 the sensorium, 10 and to the consequent undirected over- 

 flow, as Mr. Herbert Spencer insists, of nerve-force. It 

 deserves notice, that it is chiefly the anticipation of a 

 pleasure, and not its actual enjoyment, which leads to 

 purposeless and extravagant movements of the body, 

 and to the utterance of various sounds. We see this 

 in our children when they expect any great pleasure or 

 treat; and dogs, which have been bounding about at 



10 



How powerfully intense joy excites the brain, and 

 how the brain reacts on the body, is well shown in the 

 rare cases of Psychical Intoxication. Dr. J. Crichton 

 Browne (' [Medical Mirror,' 1S65) records the case of a 

 young" man of strongly nervous temperament, who, on 

 hearing by a telegram that a fortune had been bequeathed 

 him, first became pale, then exhilarated, and soon in 

 the highest spirits, but flushed and very restless. He then 

 took a walk with a friend for the sake of tranquillising 

 himself, but returned staggering in his gait, uproariously 

 laughing, yet irritable in temper, incessantly talking, and 

 singing loudly in the public streets. It was positively 

 ascertained that he had not touched any spirituous liquor, 

 though every one thought that he was intoxicated. Vomit- 

 ing after a time came on, and the half-digested contents 

 of his stomach were examined, but no odour of alcohol 

 could be detected. He then slept heavily, and on awak- 

 ing was well, except that he suffered from headache, 

 nausea, and prostration of strength. 



