3 i 6 INSTINCT AND WILL. 



which alone will operates have been developed. At all 

 periods of life there are tissues which live and grow inde- 

 pendently of the influence of will. Neither can instinct nor 

 mind be regarded as essential to life, although I think both, 

 as well as will, must be considered to be forms of vital 

 power. 



It is very difficult, perhaps impossible, to distinguish in 

 all cases mental phenomena from those due to what we call 

 instinct. Instincts are often spoken of as if they were me- 

 chanical, but the very word instinct implies life, and is mani- 

 fested by living beings alone. As compared with the higher 

 forms of mental endowments, instinctive actions might be 

 termed mechanical, but the word used in this sense is open 

 to grave objection, and if used will only mislead. Again, 

 intelligence as applied to a man, has a very different meaning 

 from intelligence as applied to a bee. The whole subject is 

 in the greatest confusion from the continual attempts, which 

 however I do not think will be successful, to make us regard 

 mental actions of all kinds, and of course all lower forms of 

 nerve action as physical in their nature. The discussion of 

 this part of the question cannot be pursued here, and un- 

 doubtedly involves changes in expressions and views which 

 will not be accepted for a long time to come. I doubt 

 whether " thought " is to be correctly predicated of any of 

 the lower animals, although in this opinion few, perhaps no 

 one, will agree with me. The act of thinking as it takes 

 place in man, differs I believe in so important a manner 

 from any act performed by lower animals, that I think the 

 same word ought not to be used in both cases. A man may 

 think and may carry his thoughts into practice or not as he 

 chooses. A bee, if it can be said to be capable of thinking 



