It remains to find the justificatory reason for this retroactive
movement of the body, which seems illogical at first sight.
Let us inquire in what case and under the action of what emotions a man
may shrink from the object which he is considering.
In the first place, he shrinks back whenever it inspires him with a
feeling of repulsion. He shrinks from it particularly when it inspires
him with fright. This is a matter of course and self-evident.
In what case does the body take an inverse direction to the object
which attracts it? This we must know before we can explain the
phenomenon in question.
We move away from the thing which we contemplate to prove to it,
doubtless, the respect and veneration that it inspires. In fact, it
seems a lack of respect to that which we love to approach it too
closely; we move away that we may not profane it by a contact which it
seems might injure its purity.
Thus the retrograde movement may be the sign of reverence and
salutation, and moreover a token that the object before which it is
produced is more eminent and more worthy of veneration.
A salutation without moving shows but little reverence, and should only
occur in the case of an equal or an inferior.
In justification of the actual fact, let me give another observation of
quite another importance.
When a painter examines his work, he moves away from it perceptibly. He
moves away in proportion to the degree of his admiration of it, so that
the retroactive movement of his body is in equal ratio to the interest
that he feels in contemplating his work, whence it follows that the
painter who examines his work in any other way, reveals his indifference
to it.
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