model, reddened when she was first divested of her clothes.
It is a rather curious question why, in most cases the face, ears, and
neck alone redden, inasmuch as the whole surface of the body often
tingles and grows hot. This seems to depend, chiefly, on the face and
adjoining parts of the skin having been habitually exposed to the air,
light, and alternations of temperature, by which the small arteries not
only have acquired the habit of readily dilating and contracting, but
appear to have become unusually developed in comparison with other
parts of the surface.[1309] It is probably owing to this same cause, as
M. Moreau and Dr. Burgess have remarked, that the face is so liable to
redden under various circumstances, such as a fever-fit, ordinary heat,
violent exertion, anger, a slight blow, &c.; and on the other hand that
it is liable to grow pale from cold and fear, and to be discoloured
during pregnancy. The face is also particularly liable to be affected
by cutaneous complaints, by small-pox, erysipelas, &c. This view is
likewise supported by the fact that the men of certain races, who
habitually go nearly naked, often blush over their arms and chests and
even down to their waists. A lady, who is a great blusher, informs Dr.
Crichton Browne, that when she feels ashamed or is agitated, she
blushes over her face, neck, wrists, and hands, that is, over all the
exposed portions of her skin. Nevertheless it may be doubted whether
the habitual exposure of the skin of the face and neck, and its
consequent power of reaction under stimulants of all kinds, is by
itself sufficient to account for the much greater tendency in English
women of these parts than of others to blush; for the hands are well
supplied with nerves and small vessels, and have been as much exposed
to the air as the face or neck, and yet the hands rarely blush. We
shall presently see that the attention of the mind having been directed
much more frequently and earnestly to the face than to any other part
of the body, probably affords a sufficient explanation.
_Blushing in the various races of man_. The small vessels of the face
become filled with blood, from the emotion of shame, in almost all the
races of man, though in the very dark races no distinct change of
colour can be perceived. Blushing is evident in all the Aryan nations
of Europe, and to a certain extent with those of India. But Mr. Erskine
has never noticed that the necks of the Hindoos are decidedly affected.
With the Lepchas of Sikhim, Mr. Scott has often observed a faint blush
on the cheeks, base of the ears, and sides of the neck, accompanied by
207