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Show ANTITHESIS. CHAP. II 64 TilE PRINCIPLE OF l t these movon1ents h J~new t 1a llpri\fht &c., because t ey , h e assumed under an b ' •t' to t OS stood in direct opposl Ion f mind. opposite and savage frame oh . when some early pro-Again when a cat ' or rat e.rr · t fi · t 1. g affecbona e rR ' . from lee ID • l ] \f. enitor of the spemes, ld 't tail perpendlCu ar y ns lightly arche d 1't s ba c. k ' he 1 .s it be believe d t h a t . k d Its ears, can . upwards and pric. e . h d thus to show that Its the animal conscious~~ WliS t~1e reverse of that, whe~ frame of mind was due~~ y. to spring on its prey~ lt from being ready to fig . odr rled its tail froin side . h'n()' attitu e, cu . I assumed a crouc 1 o . ? Even still less can to side and depressed Jtsl eatars :lv put on his dejected doer vo un n 1 believe that roy o .f. "which formed so comp ete attitude and "hot-hous.e J ace,h ful attitude and whole a contrast to hI.S, Pr evious c eer d that he knew t l1 at I bearing. It cannot be suppos~ and that he could ' d 1 · s expression, . . should understan 1I d make me give up visiting the thus soften my heart an hot-house. t f the movements which Hence for the developmt eln do some other principle, d the presen lea ' 1 come un er ·n and consciousness, must lave distinct from the WI. . 1 a ears to be that every intervened. ~his prt~~~o~ u~ ~;ril y performed throughmoveme~ t whiCh we haired the action of certain muscles; out our hves has requ f d directly opposite move-and when we h~ve per ~~m;us~les has been habitually Inent, an opposite set . . to the rio-ht or to tho h . t 1 y -as In turning b broug tIn o p a ' 11' ob~iect towards ns, h. or pu Jncr an J left, in pus tng away . o. h t So strong 1 y are and in lifting or lowering a wetg : ted too-ether that our intentions a~d move~en: ;;s:~~e in anY dire~tion, if we eagerly wish. an o ~~c ur bodies in the same we can hardly avoid moving o f tl aware that this direction, alt~ough we may be ae~l~~t:ation of this faot can have no Influence. A goo 'iiiiE rnfN0iPtE OF ANTifftll~sis. d. has alr·oady boon given in the Introduction, nmnely, in tho bo-rotosque n1ovements of a youn\f nnd eaO'er billh,nl-b · ( player, whilst watching tho conrse of his ball. A man or child in a passion, if he tells any one in a lou l voi e to begone, generally moves his artn as if to pu h hin1 away, although tho offender 1nay not be stan ling ncar, and although there 1nay bo not the least need to explain by a gesture what is Inoant. On the other hand, if we eagerly dosire so1ne one to approach us closely, wo act as if pulling him towards us ; and so in innumerable other instances. As the perforn1ance of ordinary n1ove1nents of an opposite kindr under opposite impulses of tho will, has h3come habitual in us and in the lower animals, so when actions of one kind have become firmly asrsociated with any sensation or e1notion, it appears natural that actions of a directly opposite kind, though of no use, should be unconsciously performed through habit and association, under the infl uonce of a directly opposite sensation ot· etnotion. On this principle alone can I understand how the gestures and expressions which como under the present head of antithesis have originated. If indeed they are s~rvicoable to 1nan or to any other animal, in aid of inarticulate cries or language, they will likewise be voluntarily en1ployed, and the habit will thus be strenoa thened. But whether or not of ser-vice as a means of communication, the tendency to perform opposite movements under opposite ssns,.ttions or emotions would, if we may judge by analogy, become hereditary through long practice; and there cannot be a doubt that several expressive move1nents due to the principle of antithesis are inherited. |
