Uniformity of Nature, 233 



know nothing of his nature from experience, Is 

 convulsed with terror at the sight of him. This 

 enemy is known instinctively, because it is so dead- 

 ly an enemy that knowledge by experience would 

 be impossible to the fowl ; or, at least, destructive 

 to the species. It is necessary for the preservation 

 of the species, that a fowl should fear a hawk in- 

 stinctively, as well as that it should fear death in- 

 stinctively ; and so it has the fear of both, as an 

 original outfit. 



The abstract notion of cause and effect, and of 

 their necessary relation to each other. Is intuitive. 

 This notion is necessary for some of the highest 

 processes of reasoning known to man, if. Indeed, we 

 could have any notion of such processes without 

 the gift to us of this primary knowledge. But 

 that belief in the uniformity of nature which In- 

 fluences action, is not intuitive — it Is partly instinct- 

 ive and partly from experience, in both man and 

 animals. Instinctive knowledge or belief, as a ba- 

 sis of action, is given to both, just as far as It is 

 needful for commencing the work which experience 

 can complete, without involving the absurdity of 

 destroying the species in gaining the experience. 

 And therefore Instinct gives m.uch more impulse 

 and guidance in regard to nature, to animals, than 

 it does to man, and much more to some species of 

 animals than to others. Facts illustrative of this 

 statement will occur to every observer ; but it may 

 not be amiss to discuss still farther the relation of 

 instinctive knowledge to that learned from expe- 

 rience, in regard to operations in nature. 



