382 Analysis of Scientific Books. 
the heart on the muscles of expression, through the agency of 
these respiratory nerves. The following are some of Mr. Bell's 
remarks upon this subject :— 
It would have been extraordinary, if we had arrived at any satisfactory 
theory of ee it was known through what instruments the mind 
influenced the body during emotion or passion. But since we know that the 
division of the respiratory nerve of the face deprives an animal of all ex- 
pression, and that the expressive smile of the baran face is lost by an 
injury of this nerve ; since it is equally apparent, that the convulsions of 
laughter arise from an influence extended over this class of nerves ; it 
comes to be in some sort a duty, in pursuing this matter, to examine farther 
into the subject of expression. We may at the same time be assured of 
this, that whatever serves to explain the constant and natural operations 
of the frame, will also exhibit to us the symptoms of disease with more 
precision. In terror, we readily conceive why a man stands with eyes in- 
tently fixed on the object of his fears, the eye-brows elevated, and the eye- 
balls largely uncovered ; or why, with hesitating and bewildered steps, 
his eyes are rapidly and wildly in search of something. In this we only 
perceive the intent application of his mind to the objects of his apprehen- 
sions, and its direct influence on the outward organs. But when we ob- 
serve him farther, there is a spasm in his breast ; he cannot breathe freely ; 
the chest remains elevated, and his respiration is short and rapid: there is 
a gasping and convulsive motion of his lips, a tremor on his hollow cheeks, 
a*gulping and catching of his throat ; his heart knocks at his ribs, while yet 
there is no force in the circulation, the lips and cheeks being ashy pale. It 
is obvious there is a reflected influence in operation. The language and sen- 
timent of every people have pointed to the heart as the seat of passion, and 
every individual must have felt its truth. For though the heart be not in 
the proper sense the seat of passion, it is influenced by the conditions of 
the mind, and from thence its influence is extended through the respiratory 
organs, so as to mount to the throat and lips and cheeks, and account for 
every movement in passion, which is not explained by the direct influence 
of the mind upon the features. 
So we shall find, if we attend to the expression of grief, that the same 
phenomena are presented, and we may catalogue them, as it were, ana- 
tomically. Imagine the overwhelming influence of grief: the object in the 
mind has absorbed the powers of the frame; the body is no more re- 
garded, the spirits have left it; it reclines, and the limbs. gravitate, the 
whole body is nerveless and relaxed, and the person scarcely breathes ; 
so far there is no difficulty in comprehending the effect in the cause. But 
why, at intervals, is there a long-drawn sigh ; why are the neck and throat 
convulsed ; and whence the quivering and swelling of the lips? why the 
deadly paleness, and the surface earthy cold; or why does convulsion 
spread over the frame like a paroxysm of suffocation? 
This system of nerves, extricated from the seeming confusion in which it 
lay hitherto encumbered, is found to be superadded to that of mere feeling 
and agency—attributes common to all animals. Through it, we see, in- 
grafted, as it were, and superadded to the original nature, higher powers 
of agency, corresponding to our condition of mental superiority. These 
are not the organs of breathing merely, but of natural and articulate lan- 
guage also, and adapted to the expression of sentiment, in the workings 
of the countenance and of the breast, that is by signs as well as by words. 
So that the breast becomes the organ of the passions, and bears the same 
relation to the developement of sentiments, as the organs of the senses 
do to the ideas of sense. 
6. Experiments and Observations on the Newry Pitchstone, and 
its Products: and on the formation of Pumice. By the Right 
Hon. George Knox, F’.R.S. 
This paper contains one position to which we cannot assent, 
namely, that the above-mentioned pitchstone contains nicotine, 
