From J. W. Clark 25 June 1875
18 High Street. | Southampton.
June 25. 1875.
Dear Sir,
In reference to your remarks upon the dilations of the pupils of the eye through fear, in your work on “The Expression of the Emotions”, I beg to send you the following, hoping, that it may be of service to you—1 I distinctly recollect observing, & remarking upon, the largely dilated pupils in an Irish water-spaniel, a black retriever, & within the last few days, in a fox-terrier which I have lately observed to ensure the correctness of my former observations.2 In the History of British India (Edinburgh Literary Library ed. 1843) page 32 I find this passage as descriptive of a horse’s fear of a lion—3
“.... his quivering limbs & large dilated eyes exhibit the depth of uncontrolled dismay ....”
The dilation I venture to think refers to the pupils (& not simply to the eyelids) because I have observed it in a donky not infrequently when frightened.
I shall hope to obtain some fuller & more exact information on this point; meanwhile I hope you will excuse the liberty I take in thus writing to you, and believe me to remain your sincere well-wisher & admirer, | J. W. Clark.
CD annotations
Footnotes
Bibliography
Expression 2d ed.: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. 2d edition. Edited by Francis Darwin. London: John Murray. 1890.
Expression: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Summary
Observations of fear in animals marked by dilation of pupils.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-10030
- From
- Joseph Warner Clark
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Southampton
- Source of text
- DAR 161: 154
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp †
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 10030,” accessed on 24 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-10030.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 23