4 THE PLAY OP ANIMALS. 



scientific form by Mr. Herbert Spencer, it has nothing 

 in common with its earlier presentment beyond the 

 name, the grounds being quite different." Had the 

 above-cited passage from Schiller's letters been known 

 to Wallaschek, he could never have written this state- 

 ment, for it sets forth in plain words the very "grounds" 

 on which Mr. Spencer founded his theory — namely, the 

 doctrine of superfluous energy as the cause of play. 

 Moreover, Schiller is the forerunner of Spencer, not only 

 in that he derives the aesthetic feelings from play im- 

 pulses, but also in teaching that play impulse itself has 

 its origin in superfluous energy. How far-reaching this 

 correspondence is will be seen if I now let Spencer speak: 

 " Inferior kinds of animals have in common the trait 

 that all their forces are expended in fulfilling functions 

 essential to the maintenance of life. They are unceas- 

 ingly occupied in searching for food, in escaping from 

 enemies, in forming places of shelter, and in making 

 preparation for progeny. But as we ascend to animals 

 of high types, having faculties more efficient and more 

 numerous, we begin to find that time and strength are 

 not wholly absorbed in providing for immediate needs. 

 Better nutrition, gained by superiority, occasionally 

 yields a surplus of vigour. The appetites being satis- 

 fied, there is no craving which directs the overflowing 

 energies to the pursuit of more prey or to the satisfac- 

 tion of some pressing want. The greater variety of 

 faculty commonly joined with this greater efficiency of 

 faculty has a kindred result. When there have been 

 developed many powers adjusted to many requirements, 

 they can not all act at once; now the circumstances call 

 these into exercise and now those, and some of them 

 occasionally remain unexercised for considerable periods. 

 Thus it happens that in the more evolved creatures there 



