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Show 3!8 CONCLUDING REMARKS CHAP. XIV. CHAPTER XIV. CoNOLUDI('IG REMARKS AND SuMMARY. The three leading principles which have determined the chief mo:c· 1nents of expression- 'l'heir inheritance- 0~ the part W~lCh the will and intention have played in the acqlurement of vanous expressions- r.I'he instinctive recognition of expression- rrhe bearing of our subject on the speci-fic unity of the races of manOn the successive acquirement of various expressions by the progenitors of man- The importance of expression - Conclusion. I HAVE now described, to the best of my ability, the chief expressive actions in man, and in som.e few ?f the lower animals. I have also attempted to explan1 the origin or development of these actions through the three principles given in the first chapter. The first of these principles is, that movements which are serviceable in gratifying son1e desire, or in relieving some sensation, if often Tepeated, become so habitual that they are performed, whether or not of any service, whenever the same desiTe or sensation is felt, even in a very weak degree. . Our second principle is that of antithesis. The habit of voluntarily performing opposite n1oven1ents undot· opposite ·impulses has becon1e firmly established in us L1y the practice of our whole lives. Hence, if certain netions have been regularly performed, in accordance with our first principle, under a certain frame of mind, there will be a strong and involuntary tendency to the performance of directly opposite actions, whether or not tb.ese are of any use, under the excitement of an opposite frame of mind. CrTAP. xrv. AND Ul\fMARY. 4H Our third principl is tbo clir t acti n of tho · it\ l nerv?us system on the body, ind \p nd ntly of the will, and 1ndepenclently, in h rge part, of habit. Experien · shows that nerve-force i · g noru.t <.l and s t fr whenever the cerebro-spinal sy tom i excited. ~rh dire<.!tion which thjs n rv -fore follows is noco sarily detennincd Ly tho lines of onn ction between th \ nerve-cells, with each other and with variou. partR of the body. But th direction is likewi o much influenced by habit; inasmuch as nerve-~ rce P< s readily along accustomed chaun ls. The frantic and sens 1 ss acti n · of an enrao-ocl1uan 0 may be attributed in part to the undirected flow of nerve-force, and in part to the ef[l cts f habit, for these actions often· vaguely represent tho act of striking. They thus pass into gestures included under our fir t principle; a' when an indignant man unconsciously throws himself into a fitting attitude for attacking his opponent, though without any intenti n of making an actual attack. \¥ e see also tho influence of habit in all the einotions and sensations which arc call d xciting; for they have assumed this character frmu having habitually I cl to energetic action; and action affects, in an indirect manner, the respiratory and circulatory system ; and the latter reacts on th brain. vVhenev r these emotions or sensations arc even slightly felt by us, though they may not at tho time lead to any xertion, our wh le system is nevertheless disturb d through the force of habit and a . o~ ciation. Oth r emotions and sensations are called depressing, becnu e they Lave not habitu· lly led to energ tic ac.:tion, xc p6ng just at first, as in the ca o of extreme pain, fear, and grief, and they have ultimately caused con1plet exhau.stion ; they are consrquPntly expresse] chirily by n gatirc signs and by |