336 BLUSHING. Chap. XIII. 



ondarily, through the force of association and habit, in 

 relation to the opinion of others on our conduct. 



Theory of Blushing. — We have now to consider, why 

 should the thought that others are thinking about us 

 affect our capillary circulation? Sir C. Bell insists 31 

 that blushing " is a provision for expression, as may be 

 inferred from the colour extending only to the surface 

 of the face, neck, and breast, the parts most exposed. 

 It is not acquired; it is from the beginning." Dr. 

 Burgess believes that it was designed by the Creator in 

 " order that the soul might have sovereign power of dis- 

 playing in the cheeks the various internal emotions of 

 the moral feelings; " so as to serve as a check on our- 

 selves, and as a sign to others, that we were violating 

 rules which ought to be held sacred. Gratiolet merely 

 remarks, — " Or, comme il est dans l'ordre de la nature 

 que l'etre social le plus intelligent sort aussi le plus in- 

 telligible, cette faculte de rougeur et de paleur qui dis- 

 tingue Phomme, est un signe naturel de sa haute per- 

 fection." 



The belief that blushing was specially designed by 

 the Creator is opposed to the general theory of evolu- 

 tion, which is now so largely accepted; but it forms 

 no part of my duty here to argue on the general ques- 

 tion. Those who believe in design, will find it difficult 

 to account for shyness being the most frequent and 

 efficient of all the causes of blushing, as it makes the 

 blusher to suffer and the beholder uncomfortable, with- 

 out being of the least service to either of them. They 

 will also find it difficult to account for negroes and other 

 dark-coloured races blushing, in whom a change of 

 colour in the skin is scarcely or not at all visible. 



31 Bell, ' Anatomy of Expression,' p. 95. Burg-ess, as 

 quoted below, ibid. p. 49. Gratiolet, De la Phys. p. 94. 



