236 DECISION. Chap. IX. 



needle, may be seen to compress his lips and either to 

 stop breathing, or to breathe as quietly as possible. So 

 it was, as formerly stated, with a young and sick chim- 

 panzee, whilst it amused itself by killing flies with its 

 knuckles, as they buzzed about on the window-panes. 

 To perform an action, however trifling, if difficult, im- 

 plies some amount of previous determination. 



There appears nothing improbable in all the above 

 assigned causes having come into play in different de- 

 grees, either conjointly or separately, on various occa- 

 sions. The result would be a well-established habit, 

 now perhaps inherited, of firmly closing the mouth at 

 the commencement of and during any violent and pro- 

 longed exertion, or any delicate operation. Through 

 the principle of association there would also be a strong 

 tendency towards this same habit, as soon as the mind 

 had resolved on any particular action or line of con- 

 duct, even before there was any bodily exertion, or if 

 none were requisite. The habitual and firm closure of 

 the mouth would thus come to show decision of char- 

 acter; and decision readily passes into obstinacy. 



