FACULTIES OF THE MINI). 271 



sire of society, and preceded by the parental and filial affec- 

 tions. This affection exists in its purest form in the hu- 

 man species, in the bosom of a family, in the superiority of 

 the parents, the obedience of the children, and the desire 

 glowing in every breast, to guard from danger, and increase 

 the comfort of all. When several families unite their in- 

 terests, and form a tribe, we observe, in this patriarchal go- 

 vernment, the same subordination prevailing, the same de- 

 sires and affections operating. Beyond this range of poli- 

 tical government, there is unquestionably a greater display 

 of the energies of our nature ; but they are accompanied 

 with less disinterestedness and integrity. 



In the inferior animals, where the ties of parental and 

 filial affection soon lose their influence, there are few instan- 

 ces of the family union lasting beyond a single season. But 

 the patriarchal form of government prevails in almost all 

 those animals possessed of the desire of society, and ap- 

 pears to be regulated by the same principles which operate 

 in similar establishments of the human race. We observe, 

 a. A Ruler. In the lower animals, we do not discover 

 any examples of deliberate choice, in the appointment of a * 

 governor ; but in all cases, the preference is given to the 

 largest, the strongest, and the most courageous of the tribe. 

 Between what may be termed rival chiefs, there are fre- 

 quently furious combats ; and the victor, without further 

 resistance, assumes the command. This leader is, in gene- 

 ral, a male : although, in the common bee, it is a female 

 who holds the reins of government, limited, however, in 

 her power, and subject to the controul of her constituents. 

 There is in these statements the free use of terms borrowed 

 from human forms ; but as we regard these as merely the 

 displays of this instinct in a particular species, the well known 

 phraseology in which their characters have been detail- 

 ed, is peculiarly adapted to our general view of the subject. 



