24 LESSON II. 



by our own experience ; do you not know any 

 thing but what you have discovered yourself? 



Child. We learn from the accounts of others. 



Teacher. True, we are instructed by the 

 experience of others. But watch any animal, 

 a bee, for instance ; when he makes his cell, 

 does he try several times before he succeeds ? 



Child. No, he does it perfectly at the first 

 attempt. 



Teacher. Has he been taught by his own 

 species ? 



Child. No. 



Teacher. What then is the difference between 

 the principle that guides the bee, and that which 

 guides man? 



Child. Man is taught both by his own ex- 

 perience, and that of others ; but the bee acts 

 rightly without either. 



Teacher. Yes ; he is directed immediately 

 by a principle implanted in him by the Creator. 

 This principle is called instinct, and is well 

 defined to be prior to experience, and independ- 

 ent of instruction. I will now read to you the 

 summary of to-day's lesson attend, that you 

 may be able to write it out from recollection. 



Summary. 



Many of the mollusca, though destitute of 

 jointed limbs, have organs of motion ; some 

 have a fleshy expansion extending the length of 

 the body, called a foot ; this instrument is full 

 of muscles, by which it is moved ; it acts like a 

 sucker, and the animal advances by fixing the 



