jo8 OF INSTINCT. Sect. XVI. 6. u 



The beaver is another animal that makes much ufe of his 

 hands, and if we may credit the reports of travellers, is pofTefTed 

 of amazing ingenuity. This however, M. BufTon affirms, is on- 

 ly where they exift in large numbers, and in countries thinly 

 peopled with men ; while in France in their folitary ftate they 

 fhew no uncommon ingenuity. 



Indeed all the quadrupeds, that have collar-bones, (clavicular) 

 ufe their foie-limbs in fome meafure as we ufe our hands, as the 

 cat, fquirrel, tyger, bear and lion ; and as they exercife the fenfe 

 of touch more univerfally than other animals, fo are they more 

 fagacious in watching and furprifing their prey. All thofe birds, 

 that ufe their claws for hands, as the hawk, parrot, and cuckoo, 

 appear to be more docile and intelligent ; though the gregarious 

 tribes of birds have more acquired knowledge. 



Now as the images, that are painted on the retina of the eye, 

 are no other than figns, which recall to our imaginations the ob- 

 jects we had before examined by the organ of touch, as is fully 

 demonftrated by Dr. Berkeley in his treatife on vifion ; it follows 

 that the human creature has greatly more accurate and diftincT 

 fenfe of vifion than that of any other animal. Whence as he 

 advances to maturity he gradually acquires a fenfe of female 

 beauty, which at this time directs him to the object of his new 

 paflion. 



Sentimental love, as diftinguifhed from the animal paflion of 

 that name, with which it is frequently accompanied, confifts in 

 the defire or fenfation of beholding, embracing, and faluting a 

 beautiful object. 



The characleriftic of beauty therefore is that it is the object 

 of love : and though many other objects are in common language 

 called beautiful, yet they are only called fo metaphorically, and 

 ought to be termed agreeable. A Grecian temple may give us 

 the pleafurable icica of fublimity, a Gothic temple may give us 

 the pleafurable idea of variety, and a modern hdufe the pleafur- 

 able idea of utility j muflc and poetry may infpire our love by 

 aifociation of ideas ; but none of thefe, except metaphorically, 

 can be termed beautiful ; as we have no wilh to embrace or fa- 

 lute them. 



v ur perception of beauty confifts in our recognition by the 

 fenfe of viiion of thofe objects, firft, which have before infpired 

 our love by the pleafure, which they have afforded to many of 

 our fenfes : as to our f.nfe of warmth, of touch, of fmell, of 

 fte, hunger and thirft ; and, fecondly, which bear any analo- 

 gy of form to fuch objects. 



When the babe, focn after it is born into this cold world, is 

 applied to its rr<z-: , bofom ; its fenfe of perceiving warmth 



is 



