Chap. VIII. EXPRESSION OF DEVOTION. 217 



dry. We should, however, bear in mind that the long- 

 continued habit of restraint which is so powerful in 

 checking the free flow of tears from bodily pain, has not 

 been brought into play in preventing a moderate effu- 

 sion of tears in sympathy with the sufferings or happi- 

 ness of others. 



Music has a wonderful power, as I have elsewhere 

 attempted to show, 24 of recalling in a vague and in- 

 definite manner, those strong emotions which were felt 

 during long-past ages, when, as is probable, our early 

 progenitors courted each other by the aid of vocal tones. 

 And as several of our strongest emotions — grief, great 

 joy, love, and sympathy — lead to the free secretion of 

 tears, it is not surprising that music should be apt to 

 cause our eyes to become suffused with tears, especially 

 when we are already softened by any of the tenderer 

 feelings. Music often produces another peculiar effect. 

 We know that every strong sensation, emotion, or ex- 

 citement — extreme pain, rage, terror, joy, or the pas- 

 sion of love — all have a special tendency to cause the 

 muscles to tremble; and the thrill or slight shiver which 

 runs down the backbone and limbs of many persons 

 when they are powerfully affected by music, seems to 

 bear the same relation to the above trembling of the 

 body, as a slight suffusion of tears from the power of 

 music does to weeping from any strong and real emo- 

 tion. 



Devotion. — As devotion is, in some degree, related to 

 affection, though mainly consisting of reverence, often 

 combined with fear, the expression of this state of mind 

 may here be briefly noticed. With some sects, both 

 past and present, religion and love have been strangely 

 combined; and it has even been maintained, lamentable 



24 ' The Descent of Man,' vol. ii. p. 336. 

 15 



