a Be ei el 
129 
Justine v. Hewson. 
HAVE used the same heading as that of the article in the 
July number, but I must protest against it, since it shows 
that the subject in dispute is not rightly apprehended. Al- 
though I am prepared to cite some of the greatest names in 
support of the view that the lower animals possess Reason, I 
am not aware that any naturalist has, as yet, denied that they 
possess Instinct. Therefore it is not ‘‘ Instinct v. Reason,’ but 
it is this: we believe that they possess Reason in addition to 
Instinct, even as we, the “nobler” part ofcreation do. With us 
Reason predominates ; with them, Instinct ; but both qualities are 
present in the whole animated world. Itis quite as necessary that 
this should be perfectly understood, as that the words themselves 
should be properly defined. The ‘‘distinction between Reason 
and Instinct,” given by your fair correspondent, is rather misty, 
the said ‘ distinction” being ‘‘the difference between the human | 
mind and that of the animal;” this appears to be a distinction with 
adifference. But I am quite prepared to fall in with her definition 
of Reason, given immediately after, viz., ‘‘ the action of the mind 
upon knowledge,” or rather the power of the mind to act upon 
knowledge: and, having this definition, I cannot see how Reason 
is to be denied to the lower animals. How can there be a mind 
_without Reason? And the above “distinction” gives the animal 
amind. This is simply one of those instances in which a dis- 
putant tacitly acknowledges the truth of that which he is opposing 
by the unconscious use of a word implying it all. 
But as my intention is simply to answer the article in your last, 
and not to write an essay, I will take up the arguments therein 
supposed to be advanced. 
I do not think it has ever been said that any reasoning faculty 
was exercised by a bird, bee, or ant, in the construction of their 
several dwellings, so we may put all reference to these on one side: 
the first statement to be noticed is that in connection therewith,— 
