86 on the nvrltwgs cf Buchanan. Jan. \%y 



It was my first design to glance over these remain- 

 ing sections, and endeavour to exprefs my opinion of 

 their merit. But the taflc is arduous, and it becomes 

 necefsary for me to decline it. It was my chief design 

 to excite a spirit of popular curiosity concerning Buch- 

 anan's original poems. For since Ruddiman's edition 

 in 171 5, they have not, as far as I can learn, been 

 pubiifhed in this country. 

 ^^ J. T. C . 



on the inst'incl of animals. 



To the Editor of the Bee. 



X HE instinct of animals is an inexhaustible theme. 

 By instinct, I mean that powerful propensity imprefsed 

 by nature, on the minds of animate objects, by which 

 they are, without deliberation, impelled to adopt mea- 

 sures for the propogation and preservation of the spe- 

 cies. It seems to be only incidentally connected with 

 the reasoning powers. Instinct is often found to be 

 strongest in animals whose reasoning powers are of 

 tlie weakest sort. Among animals which pofsefs the 

 power of reason in a strong degree, especially those 

 who have superadded to that, the faculties which we 

 call imagination, and sensibility, the natural instincts 

 are frequently so far overborne and modified by 

 these, as to be in sorrte measure obliterated in them. 

 Hence it is, that of all the animals with which we are 

 acquainted, the natural instincts of man, unlefs it be in 

 mere infancy, are the least perceptible ; and his pro- 

 pensities of course, the most various. The human 

 instincts are controuled by reason, and influenced by 

 imagination, and swayedby the sympathetic afFections,to 



