SOME HUMAN INSTINCTS. 675 



whom we have been looking becomes aware of us, our immediate im- 

 pulse may be to look the other way, and pretend we have not seen 

 him. Many friends have confessed to me that this is a frequent phe- 

 nomenon with them in meeting acquaintances in the street, especially 

 unfamiliar ones. The bow is a secondary correction of the primary 

 feint that we do not see the other person. Probably most readers will 

 recognize in themselves, at least, the start, the nascent disposition, on 

 many occasions, to act in each and all of these several ways. That 

 the " start " is neutralized by second thought proves it to come from 

 a deeper region than thought. There is unquestionably a native im- 

 pulse in every one to conceal love-affairs, and the acquired impulse 

 to conceal pecuniary affairs seems in many to be almost equally strong. 

 It is to be noted that even where a given habit of concealment is 

 reflective and deliberate, its motive is far less often definite prudence 

 than a vague aversion to have one's sanctity invaded and one's per- 

 sonal concerns fingered and turned over by other people. Thus, some 

 persons will never leave anything with their name written on it, where 

 others may pick it up even in the woods, an old envelope must not 

 be thrown on the ground. Many cut all the leaves of a book of which 

 they may be reading a single chapter, so that no one shall know which 

 one they have singled out, and all this with no definite notion of harm. 

 The impulse to conceal is more apt to be provoked by superiors than 

 by equals or inferiors. How differently do boys talk together when 

 their parents are not by ! Servants see more of their masters' char- 

 acters than masters of servants'.* Where we conceal from our equals 

 and familiars, there is probably always a definite element of pruden- 

 tial prevision involved. Collective secrecy, mystery, enters into the 

 emotional interest of many games, and is one of the elements of the 

 importance men attach to freemasonries of various sorts, being delight- 

 ful apart from any end. 



Cleanliness. Seeing how very filthy savages and exceptional 

 individuals among civilized people may be, philosophers have doubted 

 whether any genuine instinct of cleanliness exists, and whether educa- 

 tion and habit be not responsible for whatever amount of it is found. 

 Were it an instinct, its stimulus would be dirt, and its characteristic 

 reaction the shrinking from contact therewith, and the cleaning of it 



* Thackeray, in his exquisite " Roundabout Paper," " On a Chalk-Mark on the Door," 

 says : " You get truth habitually from equals only ; so, my good Mr. Ilolyshade, don't 

 talk to me about the habitual candor of the young Etonian of high birth, or I have my 

 own opinion of your candor or discernment when you do. No. Tom Bowling is the soul 

 of honor, and has been true to Black-eyed Syousan since the last time they parted at Wap- 

 ping Old Stairs ; but do you suppose Tom is perfectly frank, familiar, and above-board 

 in his conversation with Admiral Nelson, K. C. B. ? There are secrets, prevarications, 

 fibs, if you will, between Tom and the admiral between your crew (of servants) and 

 their captain. I know I hire a worthy, clean, agreeable, and conscientious male or female 

 hypocrite at so many guineas a year to do so and so for me. Were he other than hypo- 

 crite, I would send him about his business." 



