(II. III.] ACTIONS OF INSTINCTS. 137 



tionSj yet perform with remarkable readiness and completeness, 

 all the movements, that, as sentient actions, are appropriate to 

 the development and satisfaction of the instincts. No one 

 will be persuaded that the mind of an animal which has never 

 eaten, is led by the sensation of an empty stomach to the idea 

 of agreeable repletion, and that from this is formed the desire 

 to eat; that the mind of an animal which moves voluntarily 

 for the first time, is led by the unpleasant sensation of repose, 

 to the idea that movement has removed this sensation, and out 

 of this is formed the desire to move its limbs; or that the 

 mind of an animal which as yet knows nothing of an enemy, 

 of violence, or of danger, is reminded of the use of its natural 

 weapons (not yet in fact grown), by the sight of an enemy, 

 and that out of this is formed the desire to defend itself. But 

 since at the same time, an instinct cannot be developed natu- 

 rally in the mind, in any other mode than that just described 

 (268), according to premises already advanced (94), it follows 

 that in the inexperienced animals, and in all not endued with 

 mind, no instincts are developed ; but that those movements, 

 which by the analogy of our own nature we conclude to be 

 sentient actions, and which in many thinking animals really are 

 such, may continually be at least true nerve-actions excited by 

 external impressions (183, 89), and that the sensation itself of 

 the external impressions contributes nothing essential towards 

 the production of these movements. It is undoubted, that the 

 regular and adapted development of conceptions and of the entire 

 instinct, accompanies in thinking animals these nerve-actions, 

 which are also developed regularly and adaptively, in accordance 

 with the designs of nature (268), and this with special designs 

 which have been already noticed (184, ii). In this way these 

 nerve-actions are to be considered as sentient actions ; as nerve- 

 actions solely, they will be again treated of (439, 454, 551, &c.) 

 270. The stimuli of the instincts are obscure sensational fore- 

 seeings (262), either pleasing or unpleasing, being the imperfect 

 elements of a coming agreeable sensation, or of the opposite to 

 a disagreeable sensation, which becomes perfect, when the 

 instinct is fulfilled, or satisfied (94). Foreseeings of this kind 

 are highly sensational conceptions, almost as involuntary and 

 as necessarily produced as external sensations themselves, of 

 which, as obscure conceptions, the mind is never conscious; 



