A DISCOURSE ON IXSTIXCT. 37 



A Discourse on Tnstinct, imlli an nnalytical viciD of the re- 

 searches on Fossil Geology. By Henry, TiOid Bioiighani, F. 

 R. S. and Member of the National Institute of France. 



An interesting book, on an interesting subject. The name of the 

 author is a sufiicient guaranty for compensation for the labor of examin- 

 ing his lucubrations, flis subject is one which has always, and must 

 ever continue to interest the learned and the unlearned. Who has not 

 seen the operations of that mysterious power denominated instinct } 

 Who has not wondered at its productions ? Who has not sought a so- 

 lution of them and sought in vain ? The most unpiiilosophic minds 

 cannot fail to ask from what do these actions spring, and what is the 

 secret moving power that gives them birth ? If no satisfactory response 

 has ever rewarded their enquiries, the most gifted sages and those most 

 deeply read in nature's works, have not been more highly favored. — 

 Speculation after speculation has been indulged, theory after theory in- 

 vented, but to this day — and we look for no Ijcttcr result in any near fu- 

 ture — the arcanum I'emains unrevealed. The student of God's wonder- 

 ful works can observe and record the phenomena; he can see the hand 

 of the great Architect of the Universe and point it out to others ; he 

 can admire and adore, and then his work is done. How can he find a 

 clue to results which indicate reason, and often a high degree of it, 

 where there is none ? lie may say, this is the hand of God ; his agency 

 is directly employed in these plicnomcna ; but even then he is suspi- 

 cious of some iinmeciiate agency, and is not convinced by his own de- 

 ductions. With tliese convictions, whilst we concede to our author's 

 facts tlie highest interest, and to his speculations the praise of much in- 

 genuity, we cannot I'cel as we rise from the examination of his attractive 

 pages, that we understand instinct, considered in itself, better than we 

 previously did. 



It is easy to overturn the atheistic speculations on this remarkable 

 property of animated existence, to show negatively that it is not one 

 thing and that it is not another — that it is inexplicable on any particular 

 principles — l)ut when we come to the positive part of the subject, we 

 must falter and plead inability to respond. Lord Brougham discourses 

 thus, after having presented a great variety of the most interesting facts 

 illustrative of instinct, alter having examined various views which have 

 been broached concerning it, and sought to illustrate it by the light of 

 his own penetrating and richly endowed intellect. One thing seems 

 quite clear, that upon any view of this great question, whatever theory 

 we adopt, all loaves the inference of design untouched ; nay, the more 



