LE DARWINISME. 
463 
leurs et même des formes, comme on le voit par les peines 
que se donnent les individus d’un sexe pour déployer leurs 
avantages vis-à-vis des individus de l’autre sexe. Mais avant 
que ses facultés mentales aient été développées à un degré 
égal ou presque égal à celles de l’homme, il ne paraît pas 
possible qu’aucun animal ait porté ses préoccupations et ses 
susceptibilités sur l’apparence de sa propre personne. Nous 
pouvons conclure, par conséquent, que la faculté de rougir 
a commencé à une époque toute récente dans la longue série 
de nos ancêtres (1). » 
Après avoir de la sorte résumé, à sa manière, l’histoire 
(1) <• Nor, judging from the actions of monkeys, would astonishment hâve 
» been exhibited by a widely open mouth ; but the eyes would hâve been 
» opened and the eyebrows arched. Disgust would hâve been shown at a very 
» early period by movements round the mouth, like those of vomiting, — 
« that is, if the view which I liave suggested respecting the source of the 
» expression is correct, namely, that our progenitors had the power, and 
» used it, of voluntarily and quickly rejecting any food from their stomachs 
* which they disliked. But the more refined manner of showing contempt or 
« disdain, by lowering the eyelids, or turning away the eyes and face, as if 
» the despised person were not worth looking at, would not probably hâve 
» been acquired until a much later period. 
» Of ail expressions, blushing seems to be the most strictly human ; yet it 
» is common to ail or nearly ail the races of man,whether or not any change 
» of colour is visible in their skin. The relaxation of the small arteries of the 
» surface, on which blushing dépends, seems to hâve primarily resulted 
» from earnest attention directed to the appearance of our own persons, es- 
» pecially of our faces, aided by habit, inheritance, and the ready flow of 
» nerve-force along accustomed cliannels ; and afterwards to hâve been exten- 
» ded by the power of association to self attention directed to moral conduct. 
- lt can hardly be doubted that many animais are capable of appreciating 
» beautiful colours and even forms, as is shown by the pains which the in- 
» dividuals of one sex take in displaying their beauty before those of the 
» opposite sex. But it does not seem possible that any animal, until its men- 
» tal powers had been developed to an equal or nearly equal degree with 
» those of man, would hâve closely considered and been sensitive about its 
» own personal appearance. Therefore we may conclude that blushing origi- 
» nated at a very late period in the long line of our descent. » Ch. Darwin, 
The expression of the émotions, p. 363-364. 
