OF NATURAL HISTORY, 15^ 



CHAPTER V. 



Of the hiJlmB of Animals — Dhnfton of Ivflmcis — Examples of 

 Pure Inflintt — Of fuch Infllncls as can accommodate them- 

 felves to peculiar circurnfances and ftuaiions — Of InflinBs 

 improveable by obfervation and experience — ^ome remarks and 

 conclufions from this view of Inflincl, 



JViANY theories have been invented with a view 

 to explain the infi-incflive actions of animals ; but none of them 

 have received the general approbation of Philofophers. This 

 want of fuccefs in the inveftigation of a fubject fo curious and 

 fo interefting muft be owing to the operation of fome pow- 

 erful caufes. Two of thefe caufes appear to be a want of atr 

 tention to the general oeconomy and manners of animals, 

 and miftaken notions concerning the dignity of human na- 

 ture. From peruUng the compofitions of moft authors who 

 have written upon animal inftincV, it is evident, that they 

 have chiefly derived their ideas, not from the various mental, 

 qualities difcoverable in different fpecies of animals, but 

 from the feelings and propenfities of their own minds. Some 

 of them, at the fame time, are fo averfe to allow brutes a 

 participation of that intelle£L which man pofTefTes in fuch an 

 eminent degree, that they conflder every animal adfion to, 

 be the refult of pure mechanifm. But the great fource of 

 error on this fubjedl is the uniform attempt to diftinguilh 

 inftin^live from rational motives, I fliall, however, endea- 

 vour to fhow that no fuch diflinctlon exifts, and that the 

 reafoning faculty itfelf is a neceiTary refult of inflincSf. 



The proper method of inveftigating fubjecfs of this kind,, 

 is to colle(St and arrange the faiSfs which have been difcover^ 

 ed, and to confider whether thefe fa6ls lead to any general 

 conclufions. This method I have adopted > ajid fiiall ther^-. 



