OF NATURAL HISTORY. 439 



CHAPTER XVII. 



Of the Docility of Animals. 



(Jf all animals capable of culture, man is the 

 fnoft duMe. By inftrudlion, imitation, and habit, his mind 

 may be moulded into any form. It may be exalted by fci- 

 ence and art to a degree of knowledge, of which the vulgar 

 and uninformed have not the moft diftant conception. The 

 reverfe is melancholy. When the human mind is left to its 

 own operations, and deprived of almoft every opportunity of 

 focial information, it finks fo low, that it is nearly rivalled by 

 the moft fagacious brutes. The natural fuperiority of man 

 over the other animals, as formerly remarked, is a necefiary 

 refult of the great number of inftindls with which his mind 

 is endowed. Thefe inftindts are gradually unfolded, and 

 produce, after a mature age, reafon, abflra6lion, invention, 

 fcience. To confirm this truth, it would be fruitlefs to have 

 recourfe to metaphyfical arguments, which generally miflead 

 and bewilder human reafon. A diligent attention to the 

 actual operations of Nature is fufHcient to convince any mind 

 that is not warped and deceived by popular prejudice, the 

 fetters of authorities, as they are called, whether ancient or 

 modern, or by the vanity of fuppcrting preconceived opinions 

 and favourite theories. Let any mxan reflect on the progrefs 

 of children from birth to manhood. At firfl, their inflindls 

 are limited to obfcure fenfations, and to the performance of 

 a few corporeal actions, to which they are prompted, or rath- 

 er compelled, by certain Simulating impulfes unneccflary to 

 be mentioned. In a few months, their fenfations are per- 

 ceived to be more diftinct, their bodily actions are better di- 

 j:'e<rted5 "cw infiincls are unfolded, and they aflume a greater 



