342 OUR JUDGMENT INCOMPETENT. 



achieve ends, that bring them nearer to mankind than any other 

 class of animated nature."t 



We insect men may not relish, perhaps, or care to observe, 

 this approximation towards ourselves, of men-like insects. A\ r 

 would rather, perhaps, make the most of the inferential argu- 

 ment, that because insects proper have avowedly a very large 

 share of instinct, they have therefore no reason at all. \\ 

 might as well infer of ourselves, contrary to facts, that because 

 we may have a large share of reason we are utterly devoid of 

 instinct. 



But apart from all jealous or all careless want of notice of 

 insect ways, and our imperfect appreciation, consequently, of 

 their mental endowments, our means of judging them are, in 

 truth, but slight and superficial. From their minute size, 

 their brevity of existence, and many of their habits, the mem- 



* *. 



bers of the insect world are precluded from anything like that 

 reciprocal intercourse with man, which, in the case of the larger 

 animals, tends to throw so much light upon their natures, and 

 to develope their qualities of intellect and affection. "What 

 has been said of these latterf may therefore be urged with 

 double force in regard to insects. " it ought always to be 

 remembered that brutes have more reason than they can show, 

 from their want of words, from our inattention, and from our 

 ignorance of the import of those symbols which they use in 

 giving intimations to one another and to us." 



* ' Sacred History of the World,' vol. iii. I By Dr. Hartley. 



