INSTINCT AS INHERITED MEMORY. 213 



tellectual genius (and I would add of moral genius, if 

 many of the instincts and structures of plants and ani- 

 mals did not show that they had got into a region as far 

 above morals— other than enlightened self-interest — as 

 they are above articulate consciousness of their own 

 aims in many other respects) — it is by these instances 

 of either rare good luck or rare genius that many species 

 have been, in all probability, originated or modified. 

 Nevertheless inappreciable modification of instinct is, 

 and ought to be, the rule. 



As to M. Ribot's assertion, that to the heredity of modi- 

 fications there are many exceptions, I readily agree with 

 it, and can only say that it is exactly what I should 

 expect; the lesson long since learnt by rote, and re- 

 peated in an infinite number of generations, would be 

 repeated unintelligently, and with little or no difference, 

 save from a rare accidental slip, the effect of which 

 would be the culling out of the bungler who was guilty 

 of it, or from the still rarer appearance of an individual 

 of real genius ; while the newer lesson would be repeated 

 both with more hesitation and uncertainty, and with 

 more intelligence; and this is well conveyed in M. 

 Ribot's next sentence, for he says — "It is only when 

 variations have been firmly rooted; when having be- 

 come organic, they constitute a second nature, which 

 supplants the first; when, like instinct, they have as- 

 sumed a mechanical character, that they can be trans- 

 mitted." 



How nearly M. Ribot comes to the opinion which I 

 myself venture to propound will appear from the 

 following further quotation. After dealing with som- 



