j^p2. on the instinct of animals, 78 



such a degree, as often to afsume a direction totally 

 different, in one person, from what they do in another, 

 in the same circumstances. There are only a very 

 j few cases in which the instincts of man operate inva- 

 riably in the same manner on all the species. 



The instincts of animals always act the most inva- 



, riably in regard, ist, To the immediate preservation 



[ of life, by means of food ; zdly, the propogatioii of the 



^1 species ; 3<//y, the care of the young j and 4//j/y, the 



' guarding against external injury. In the first instance, 



man is nearly on a footing with other animals ; in the 



second, he deviates from them in several particulars, 



"Owing to the influence of the moral principle, and the 



other faculties above alluded to, controuling, and 



I modifying the mere animal instinct. In the third case, 



^ the difference between man and other animals- is 



i! exceeding great ; and in the last case, man so far ex- 

 I cells all other animals, as to have subjected the whole 

 j animate xreation to his sway, and compelled them to 

 ' minister to his wants in a thousand various ways. 

 The instinct of animals, as it operates for the pre- 

 servation of their young, has ever appeared the most 

 interesting to man, because it seems to indicate that 

 they pofbefs a certain fliare of that delicate sensation 

 which wc have denominated sensibility. This sensation 

 in man is so intimately connected with the power of 

 the imagination, which, when vigorous, is produc- 

 tive of such inexprefsible delight to the mind, that he 

 disposed, involuntarily, to attribute the same kind 

 of sensation to mere animals, in this instance, that 

 he himself feels in a similar situation. Tligie seems, 



