FACULTIES 0V THE MIND. 263 



bodily or mental superiority. But among the brutes, it is 

 confined to bodily superiority, and appears little, if at all, 

 influenced by education or habit. 



The desires of imitation, approbation and power, appear 

 chiefly to operate on those animals which live in society, 

 and perhaps may be regarded as attributes of the social in- 

 stinct, rather than distinct principles of the constitution. 

 Before attempting to simplify the desires in this manner, 

 however, it would be necessary to examine, with greater care 

 than any one appears ever to have done, all the active prin- 

 ciples of those animals which are social from instinct, (not 

 necessarily from bodily organization), in order to trace the 

 unity of action in their supposed secondary desires. 



9. Life. The existence of this instinctive principle, as a 

 part of our own constitution, is universally recognised. It 

 prompts us to a variety of actions, through every period of 

 our life, retaining its influence even when in old age our field 

 of enjoyment has been very limited. The medical practi- 

 tioner avails himself of its influence, in order to compel his 

 patient to swallow the most nauseous draughts, or to submit 

 to the most painful and mutilating operations. It is not equal- 

 ly powerful in every individual. Its deficiency contributes to 

 the formation of the hero, its excess constitutes a coward. 



The love of life displays itself in the active exertions 

 which we make to avoid pain, as the prelude to death ; or 

 any direct attack. If about to fall, we stretch forth our 

 hands, so as to restore our controul over the centre ot gra- 

 vity, or weaken the shock when approaching the ground. 

 That this is not the result of experience, instigating us to 

 avoid pain, is obvious from the circumstance of the univer- 

 sality of the operation, and the similarity of the manner of 

 performing it. Besides, we have seen the most palpable 

 indications of its rxistencr in an infant of a month old 



