26 MENTAL EVOLUTION IN MAN. 



On the one hand it may be argued that by restricting- the 

 term abstract to ideas which can only be formed by the aid of 

 language, we are drawing an arbitrary line — fixing upon one 

 degree in the continuous scale of a faculty which is throughout 

 the same in kind. For, say some psychologists, it is evident 

 that in our own case most of our more simple abstract or 

 general ideas are not dependent for their existence upon words. 

 Or, if this be disputed, these psychologists are able to point to 

 infants, and even to the lower animals, in proof of their as- 

 sertion. For an infant undoubtedly exhibits the possession 

 of simple general ideas prior to the possession of any articulate 

 language ; and after it begins to use such language it does so 

 by spontaneously widening the generality of signification at- 

 taching to its original words. In proof of both these state- 

 ments numberless observations might be quoted, and further 

 on will be quoted ; but here I need only wait to give one in 

 proof of each. As regards the first, Professor Preyer tells us 

 that at eight months old,* and therefore long before it was 

 able to speak, his child was able to classify all glass bottles 

 as resembling — or belonging to the order of — a feeding-bottle.f 

 As regards the second, M. Taine tells us of a little girl 

 eighteen months old, who was amused by her mother hiding 

 in play behind a piece of furniture, and saying " Coucou." 

 Again, when her food was too hot, when she went too near 

 the fire or candle, and when the sun was warm, she was told 

 " ^a brule." One day, on seeing the sun disappear behind a 

 hill, she exclaimed, *' 'A b'ule coucou," thereby showing both 

 the formation and combination of general ideas, "not only 

 expressed by words which we do not employ (and, therefore, 

 not by any other words that she can have previously em- 

 ployed), but also corresponding to ideas, consequently to classes 



* The age here mentioned closely corresponds with that which is given by 

 M. Perez, who says : — "At seven months he compares better than at three ; and 

 he appears at this age to have visual perceptions associated with ideas of kind: 

 for instance, he connects the different flavours of a piece of bread, of a cake, of 

 fruit, with their different forms and colours " {First Three Years of Childhood, 

 English trans., p. 31). 



t Die Seele des A'iiides, s. 87. 



