ition of "Expression of the Emotions," page 300) is
that the gesture is appropriate to sudden defence or to the giving of
aid to another person.)

The book has sold wonderfully; 9,000 copies have now been printed.

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