THE HISTORY OF MENTAL DEVELOPMENT 137 



Now reflex action takes place independently of con- 

 sciousness or will. Instinctive action may be voluntary, 

 but it is, after all, not so much the result of individ- 

 ual purpose as of hereditary tendency. Is there then 

 no will in the animal until it has become intelligent ? I 

 think there has been a sort of voluntary action all the 

 time. Even the amoeba selects or chooses, if I may use 

 the word, its food among the sand grains. And the 

 will is stimulated to act by the appetite. Hunger is the 

 first teacher. And how did appetite develop ? Why 

 does the animal hunger for just the food suited to its 

 digestion and needs ? We do not know. And the re- 

 productive appetite soon follows. One of these results 

 from the condition of the digestive, the other from 

 that of the reproductive, cells or protoplasm. These 

 appetites are due to some condition in a part of the 

 organism and can be felt. They are in a sense not of 

 the mind but of the body. And the response to them 

 on the part of the mind is in some respects almost 

 comparable to reflex action. But the mode of the re- 

 sponse is, to a certain extent at least, within the control 

 of consciousness. They train and spur the will as 

 pure reflex action never could. But the will is as yet 

 hardly more than the expression of these appetites. 

 It expresses not so much its own decision as that of 

 the stomach. It is the body's slave and mouthpiece. 

 And once again it is best and safest for the animal that 

 it should be so. 



And these appetites are at first comparatively feeble. 

 There is but little muscle or nerve and but little food 

 is required. But these continually strengthen and 

 spur the will harder and more frequently. And the 

 will stirs up the weary and flagging muscles. The 



