was observed with the blind and deaf Laura Bridgman.[820] The great
zygomatic muscle is sometimes variable in its course, and I have seen a
young woman in whom the _depressores anguli oris_ were brought into
strong action in suppressing a smile; but this by no means gave to her
countenance a melancholy expression, owing to the brightness of her
eyes.
Laughter is frequently employed in a forced manner to conceal or mask
some other state of mind, even anger. We often see persons laughing in
order to conceal their shame or shyness. When a person purses up his
mouth, as if to prevent the possibility of a smile, though there is
nothing to excite one, or nothing to prevent its free indulgence, an
affected, solemn, or pedantic expression is given; but of such hybrid
expressions nothing more need here be said. In the case of derision, a
real or pretended smile or laugh is often blended with the expression
proper to contempt, and this may pass into angry contempt or scorn. In
such cases the meaning of the laugh or smile is to show the offending
person that he excites only amusement.
_Love, tender feelings, &c_. Although the emotion of love, for instance
that of a mother for her infant, is one of the strongest of which the
mind is capable, it can hardly be said to have any proper or peculiar
means of expression; and this is intelligible, as it has not habitually
led to any special line of action. No doubt, as affection is a
pleasurable sensation, it generally causes a gentle smile and some
brightening of the eyes. A strong desire to touch the beloved person is
commonly felt; and love is expressed by this means more plainly than by
any other.[821] Hence we long to clasp in our arms those whom we
tenderly love. We probably owe this desire to inherited habit, in
association with the nursing and tending of our children, and with the
mutual caresses of lovers.
With the lower animals we see the same principle of pleasure derived
from contact in association with love. Dogs and cats manifestly take
pleasure in rubbing against their masters and mistresses, and in being
rubbed or patted by them. Many kinds of monkeys, as I am assured by the
keepers in the Zoological Gardens, delight in fondling and being
fondled by each other, and by persons to whom they are attached. Mr.
Bartlett has described to me the behaviour of two chimpanzees, rather
older animals than those generally imported into this country, when
141