162 ANIMAL-SENTIENT FORCES. [i. 



unknown to us^ but volitionally^ and with the consciousness of 

 the sensational impulses. We can often avoid or weaken the 

 sensational stimuli at will^ so as to prevent the passion ; or, on 

 the contrary, seek and strengthen them so as to excite it. 

 During the access of the passions, we have often more power 

 than in the instincts to increase or diminish them at will, and 

 more means of weakening them without satisfying them, 

 because we know their objects. An angry man can more 

 readily mitigate his passion without avenging himself, than a 

 hungry man can quiet his instinct without taking food. A 

 man can often avoid at will every inducement to anger, but 

 hunger arises naturally and necessarily, without our know- 

 ledge, as soon as its cause is induced in the stomach. And 

 here it must be observed, that the passions are often not pri- 

 mary, but are excited in us by sensational instincts, and as 

 these are in close relation with the instincts, they may be 

 termed instinctive passions (affectentriebe) . 



297. The main difference between the passions and instincts 

 consists in this, that in the former we are conscious of the 

 sensational excitants, in the latter we are unconscious (90,91). 

 The secondary conceptions in the former may be weakened by 

 abstraction, or antagonised, or rendered more vivid at will; 

 whereas in the instincts; their object cannot be brought 

 voluntarily into relation with the secondary conceptions, since 

 the object is unknown (273, 304). 



298. When in the course of an instinct in an animal capable 

 of pure conceptions, the obscure sensational stimulus is com- 

 prehended, although it is still sensational and confused, a 

 passion is excited in and by the instinct, or an instinctive 

 passion (90, 91). The instinctive passions are at first instincts, 

 which become passions during their continuance. Conse- 

 quently they arise from the natural excitants of the instinct, 

 and manifest like them the Wonderful (263) ; but with this 

 difference, that during their continuance the sensational volition 

 of the animal is combined with the natural impulse to obtain 

 the satisfaction of the instinct : thus a voluntary power over it 

 is attained. We will consider briefly the more prominent 

 instinctive passions from this point of view. 



299. Animals are impelled by nature to a love of life, 

 without knowing why; they are blindly led to abhor the 



