RECORD: Darwin, C. R. n.d. In origin of passion & fear. CUL-DAR195.3.10. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 5.2022. RN1

NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR195 contains materials for Darwin's book Expression of the emotions (1872) organised roughly as: DAR195.1 blushing. DAR195.2 astonishment, fear. DAR195.3 indignation, rage, screaming, etc. DAR195.4 laughter, frowning, introduction.

Darwin quoted from this in Expression, pp. 239-40.


[10]

In origin of passion & fear.— certain sensation have caused certain actions — & these actions have produced an involuntary train of effects on body, without which we cannot be said to feel fear. (argument in favour of this is the emotion of fear resulting solely from irregular action of heart) — A person may be indifferent, but if he has no loss of colour, no acceleration of pulse, he has not fear. —

as Louis XVI said, when

[10v]

surrounded by the mob, was told not to be afraid, — fear! feel my pulse. —

Susan at end of laugh has contorted face just like people crying

When a grown up person cries, although his face does not become convulsed (a) yet a twitching of the muscles of whole face if all told mouth preeminently [illeg] of it. ─ & even whole body will tremble, violently his hands – (let a person think of subject even little painful & twitch his muscles irregularly, & will feel his eye become slightly full. – (Hensleigh says truly, that I but little explain crying, without I explain why face is peculiarly convulsed during grief)

[in margin:] In adult in most or others (crying)


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Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

File last updated 25 September, 2022