INTRODUCTION. ' 45 



are performed, as immediately tend to the preservation 

 of themselves and the propagation of their species > It 

 is a principle that may be considered as inherent in the 

 organization of the body, and therefore (unlike to rea- 

 son) it commences with the organization of the body it- 

 self; as we know by the motions and other actions of 

 animals in utero. It developes itself (contrary to reason) 

 in full perfection as soon as it is wanted. The young 

 chick, the moment it is disencumbered of its shell, dex- 

 terously picks up its food, and judiciously selects it from 

 extraneous matter. The indigent and blind puppy, im- 

 mediately on its entry into the world, searches out the 

 mammillary processes that yield its nutriment, and adapts 

 the surfaces of its little mouth to exhaust the gland, with 

 more dexterity than the most acute philosopher aided by 

 every mechanical principle could do. The operations 

 of instinct being directed to the presrvation of exist- 

 ence and the continuance of the species, it was neces- 

 sarily given perfect, or these ends would not have been 

 answered ; but as its operations seem confined wholly 

 to these great ends, so it is very limited in its scale of 

 action, and admits of little, if any, improvement. In 

 domestic as well as unreclaimed animals, such actions 

 as are directed to the essential laws of preservation and 

 propagation remain alwaj^s alike : the same general ap- 

 titudes, the same dexterity in catering their food, ex- 

 cluding their enemies, and fostering their young, were 

 as apparent two thousand years ago as at the present 

 day. The instinctive principle, as a purely preserva- 

 tive one, was originally given to them perfect ; it there- 

 fore required no extension, and it has received none. 



If this definition of instinct should be considered cor- 

 rect, it will require but little argument to prove, that, 

 as innumerable actions are daily performed by animals, 

 particularly of the higher and cultivated orders, which 



