Chap. XIII. BLUSHING. 335 



that the habit originally arose from thinking about what 

 others think of us. Several ladies, who are great blush- 

 ers, are unanimous in regard to solitude; and some of 

 them believe that they have blushed in the dark. From 

 what Mr. Forbes has stated with respect to the Aymaras, 

 and from my own sensations, I have no doubt that this 

 latter statement is correct. Shakspeare, therefore, erred 

 when he made Juliet, who was not even by herself, say 

 to Borneo (act ii. sc. 2): — 



" Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face; 

 Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek, 

 For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night." 



But when a blush is excited in solitude, the cause almost 

 alwavs relates to the thoughts of others about us — to 

 acts done in their presence, or suspected by them; or 

 again when we reflect what others would have thought 

 of us had they known of the act. Nevertheless one or 

 two of my informants believe that they have blushed 

 from shame at acts in no way relating to others. If this 

 be so, we must attribute the result to the force of in- 

 veterate habit and association, under a state of mind 

 closely analogous to that which ordinarily excites a 

 blush; nor need we feel surprise at this, as even sym- 

 pathy with another person who commits a flagrant breach 

 of etiquette is believed, as we have just seen, sometimes 

 to cause a blush. 



Finally, then, I conclude that blushing, — whether 

 due to shyness — to shame for a real crime — to shame 

 from a breach of the laws of etiquette — to modesty from 

 humility — to modesty from an indelicacy — depends in 

 all cases on the same principle; this principle being a 

 sensitive regard for the opinion, more particularly for 

 the depreciation of others, primarily in relation to our 

 personal appearance, especially of our faces; and sec- 



