84 THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN REASON. 



meaning thereby an unconscious sense of craving for 

 something needed to complete a harmony amongst 

 sensations and emotions, is what we have not only 

 allowed the brutes, but have distinctly attributed to 

 them.* Mr. Romanes goes on : "A cat sees a man 

 knock at the knocker of a door, and observes that the 

 door is afterwards opened : remembering this, when she 

 herself wants to get in at the door, she jumps at the 

 knocker, and waits for the door to be opened. Now, 

 can it be denied that in this act of inference, or imita- 

 tion, or whatever name we choose to call it, the cat 

 perceives such an association between the knocking and 

 the opening as to feel that the former as antecedent was 

 in some way required to determine the latter as a 

 consequent ? " We have already objected to and denied, 

 upon definite and distinct grounds, the existence of 

 perceptions in animals ; but for the purpose of Mr. 

 Romanes the word " feels " might be substituted for the 

 word "perceives," so we will let this passage pass 

 without further protest. However, the whole circum- 

 stance referred to can be accounted for simply by 

 the association of feelings — including emotions and 

 desires. Nevertheless we are inclined to believe that 

 the narration is a little exaggerated, and that some 

 further sensuous experience on the part of the cat 

 would be needed than the mere seeing " a man knock 

 at a door" and its being thereupon "opened." But 

 Mr. Romanes continues : " What is this but such a 

 perception of causal relation as is shown by a child who 

 blows upon a watch to open the case — thinking this to 

 * See " On Truth," p. 350. 



