THE CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN LIFE 39 



recognised by all ; yet, it is not easily explained by 

 any one. The immense difference between man and 

 animal is manifest in the most ordinary human action. 

 The contrast comes to light under test of any action, 

 even the simplest. Take the art of speaking. This 

 quite simple act is indeed a very advanced phase of 

 action in comparative physiology, but it is possible to the 

 mere child, so far is the human species even in earliest 

 years in advance of the fully-developed animal. The 

 use of speech has in each case a history difficult to 

 trace, for passing behind vocalisation, and inwards to 

 brain action, we pass next into consciousness, when we 

 note thought, purpose, memory, associations, feeling, 

 and passions. When this complexity of exercise is 

 considered, we see how it happens that nothing is 

 more common than inability to explain the manner 

 of doing the most familiar action. The difficulty does 

 not in any case concern what is done, but only how 

 it is done. 



Notwithstanding this difficulty, the functions of our 

 life are well known to us. They include many which 

 are common to us with the animals, and many more 

 not within compass of any animal. In some ways it 

 should be easier for us to enumerate the activities of 

 man, than to ascertain the habits of animals. The 

 ordinary susceptibilities and activities of our nature 

 are known to all. We can tell by experience what a 

 man does and feels in the daily round of engagement. 

 Familiarity with function must, therefore, be set over 

 against our difficulties in interpreting the manner of 

 their fulfilment. We do not readily agree, if we 

 attempt to unite interpretation of mode with repre 

 sentation of function. Actions are familiar ; theories 



