310 BLUSHING. Chap. XII T. 



any physical means, — that is by any action on the 

 body. It is the mind which must be affected. Blush- 

 ing is not only involuntary; but the wish to restrain it, 

 by leading to self-attention actually increases the ten- 

 dency. 



The young blush much more freely than the old, but 

 not during infancy, 2 which is remarkable, as we know 

 that infants at a very early age redden from passion. I 

 have received authentic accounts of two little girls 

 blushing at the ages of between two and three years; 

 and of another sensitive child, a year older, blushing, 

 when reproved for a fault. Many children, at a some- 

 what more advanced age blush in a strongly marked 

 manner. It appears that the mental powers of infants 

 are not as yet sufficiently developed to allow of their 

 blushing. Hence, also, it is that idiots rarely blush. 

 Dr. Crichton Browne observed for me those under his 

 care, but never saw a genuine blush, though he 

 has seen their faces flash, apparently from joy, 

 when food was placed before them, and from anger. 

 Nevertheless some, if not utterly degraded, are capable 

 of blushing. A microcephalous idiot, for instance, thir- 

 teen years old, whose eyes brightened a little when he 

 was pleased or amused, has been described by Dr. Behn, 3 

 as blushing and turning to one side, when undressed for 

 medical examination. 



Women blush much more than men. It is rare to 

 see an old man, but not nearly so rare to see an old 

 woman blushing. The blind do not escape. Laura 

 Bridgman, born in this condition, as well as completely 



2 Dr. Burgess, ibid. p. 56. At p. 33 he also remarks on 

 women blushing 1 more freely than men, as stated below. 



3 Quoted by Yogt, ' Memoire sur les Microcephales,' 18G7, 

 p. 20. Dr. Burg-ess (ibid. p. 56) doubts. whether idiots ever 

 blush. 



