ANIMAL AND RATIONAL INTELLIGENCE 173 



need being much greater for classification of pheno 

 mena, and distinction of function. Our inferences 

 must be from the higher to the lower, from the 

 better known to the less known, from direct know 

 ledge to the interpretation of the results gathered by 

 indirect observation. From the inquiry already 

 passed, it follows that a greater amount of human 

 experience and activity must be assigned to organism 

 under physiological law, than is commonly done, 

 when interpretation depends on the knowledge which 

 consciousness supplies, apart from knowledge of the 

 function of the sensori-motor system. The importance 

 of this will appear from a few illustrations. Take 

 mechanical skill, in which man immeasurably excels 

 the animals nearest to him. lindustrial art supplies 

 examples of the contrast between thought and muscu 

 lar facility. The man must observe the conditions of 

 work, must take pains in course of his first efforts, 

 must shape successive purposes in acknowledgment 

 of his failures, must acquire muscular aptitude. 

 Afterwards there is less need for thought. So it is 

 with vocalisation in early attempts to speak. 1 Imitation 

 of sounds plays a preliminary part ; next, understand 

 ing of symbols before they can be used ; and there 

 after, by slow effort, management of the brain centres, 

 the nerves, and the muscles, with vocal cords of the 

 larynx, all of which are brought under regulation only 

 by intelligent purpose to imitate a familiar vocable, 

 without the slightest knowledge of this elaborate 

 structure provided to secure this result. From these 

 forms of effort, it appears that imitation is first 

 favoured by sensory impression. This is obviously 

 1 See The Mind of the Child, Part n., by Prof. Preyer, Jena. 



