TOWEi.i,] PHILOLOGY ex LI 



Of what emotion lauj^litcr is the cxprfssioii in its jiurely 

 natural state we are left to coujecture. Let us asstime, as 

 seems probable from tiie little evidence we have, that it was 

 the expressioii of joy, for it has this meaning with the species 

 allied to anthropopithecus. Then came a time when laughing- 

 was conventional, as being- designed for such expression that 

 others who heai-d might iniderstand it in this manner; then 

 laughter became true language as we have defined it. Used 

 at first with difficulty, it speedily became easy, and becoming- 

 easy it gradually became habitual, and finally instinctive by 

 inheritance. The nature of tiiis process can well be illustrated 

 by citing the case of screaming, of which we will treat a little 

 later. Even laughter is consciously used with designed 

 exjjression, as when we laugh at things which are not aiiiusing 

 to us out of courtesy to others, when its original nature 

 becomes apparent. 



In treating- of emotional expressions it will serve present pur- 

 j^oses to speak only of one meaning for each expression; thus 

 we speak of laughing as an expression or word of joy, but 

 laughter, like all words in spoken or written language, has 

 many meanings; in fact, emotional signs are especialh i-liar- 

 acterized by multifarious meanings; for this reason emotional 

 language is highly ambiguous and a ready tool for deception. 



Smilinff as an expression of pleasure. In smiling we have an 

 expression of an emotion, less intense than that of joy, which 

 may best be called pleasure. In laughter the muscles about 

 the mouth, especially the risorius, are contracted, as also are 

 the orbicular muscles about the eyelids. The group of muscles 

 involved may be called the smiling muscles. The smile needs 

 no further description. It expresses pleasure in a great variety 

 of meanings, and it is clearly seen to be artificial, whether the 

 approval be genuine or assumed. 



" I set it down 

 That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.'" 



Weeping as an expression of grief In weeping- tears flow 

 and various muscles about the eyelids, especially the orbicu- 

 lars, are involved, for through their agency tears are produced. 



