INTRODUCTION. XXIX 



necessarily preceded by a want of that which 

 has power to excite such action. This want 

 felt immediately moves the internal sentiment, 

 and in the same instant, that sentiment directs 

 the disposeable portion of the nervous fluid, 

 either upon the muscles of that part of the 

 body which is to act, or upon the part of the 

 organ of intelligence, where are impressed 

 the ideas which should be rendered present 

 to the mind, for the execution of the intel- 

 lectual act which the want demands." 1 In 

 fact Lamarck sees nothing in the universe 

 but bodies, whence he confounds sensation 

 with intellect. Our eyes certainly shew us 

 nothing but bodies their actions and mo- 

 tions, their structure, their form and colour; 

 our ears the sounds they produce ; our touch 

 their degree of resistance, or comparative 

 softness or hardness ; our smell their scent ; 

 our taste their flavour ; but though our senses 

 can conduct us no further, we find a very 

 active substance in full power within us that 

 can. At a very early period of life we feel 

 a wish to know something further concerning 

 the objects to which our senses introduce 



1 N. Diet. D'Hist. Nat. xvi. Artie. Intelligence, 350. 



