LETTER 478. TO CHAUNCEY WRIGHT. Down, September 21st, 1874.
I have read your long letter with the greatest interest, and it was extremely kind of you to take such great trouble. Now that you call my attention to the fact, I well know the appearance of persons moving the head from side to side when critically viewing any object; and I am almost sure that I have seen the same gesture in an affected person when speaking in exaggerated terms of some beautiful object not present. I should think your explanation of this gesture was the true one. But there seems to me a rather wide difference between inclining or moving the head laterally, and moving it in the same plane, as we do in negation, and, as you truly add, in disapprobation. It may, however, be that these two movements of the head have been confounded by travellers when speaking of the Turks. Perhaps Prof. Lowell would remember whether the movement was identically the same. Your remarks on the effects of viewing a sunset, etc., with the head inverted are very curious. (478/1. The letter dated September 3rd, 1874, is published in Mr. Thayer's "Letters" of Chauncey Wright, privately printed, Cambridge, Mass., 1878. Wright quotes Mr. Sophocles, a native of Greece, at the time Professor of Modern and Ancient Greek at Harvard University, to the effect that the Turks do not express affirmation by a shake of the head, but by a bow or grave nod, negation being expressed by a backward nod. From the striking effect produced by looking at a landscape with the head inverted, or by looking at its reflection, Chauncey Wright was led to the lateral movement of the head, which is characteristic of critical inspection--eg. of a picture. He thinks that in this way a gesture of deliberative assent arose which may have been confused with our ordinary sign of negation. He thus attempts to account for the contradictions between Lieber's statement that a Turk or Greek expresses "yes" by a shake of the head, and the opposite opinion of Prof. Sophocles, and lastly, Mr. Lowell's assertion that in Italy our negative shake of the head is used in affirmation (see "Expression of the Emotions," Edition II., page 289).) We have a looking-glass in the drawing-room opposite the flower-garden, and I have often been struck how extremely pretty and strange the flower garden and surrounding bushes appear when thus viewed. Your letter will be very useful to me for a new edition of my Expression book; but this will not be for a long time, if ever, as the publisher was misled by the very large sale at first, and printed far too many copies.
I daresay you intend to publish your views in some essay, and I think you ought to do so, for you might make an interesting and instructive discussion.
I have been half killing myself of late with microscopical work on plants. I begin to think that they are more wonderful than animals.
P.S., January 29th, 1875.--You will see that by a stupid mistake in the address this letter has just been returned to me. It is by no means worth forwarding, but I cannot bear that you should think me so ungracious and ungrateful as not to have thanked you for your long letter.
As I forget whether "Cambridge" is sufficient address, I will send this through Asa Gray.
(PLATE: CHARLES LYELL. Engraved by G.I. (J). Stodart from a photograph.)
CHAPTER 2.IX. GEOLOGY, 1840-1882.
I. Vulcanicity and Earth-movements.--II. Ice-action.--III. The Parallel Roads of Glen Roy.--IV. Coral Reefs, Fossil and Recent.--V. Cleavage and Foliation.--VI. Age of the World.--VII. Geological Action of Earthworms. --VIII. Miscellaneous.
2.IX.I. VULCANICITY AND EARTH-MOVEMENTS, 1840-1881.
LETTER 479. TO DAVID MILNE. 12, Upper Gower Street, Thursday [March] 20th [1840].
I much regret that I am unable to give you any information of the kind you desire. You must have misunderstood Mr. Lyell concerning the object of my paper. (479/1. "On the Connexion of certain Volcanic Phenomena, and on the Formation of Mountain-chains and the Effects of Continental Elevations." "Trans.