134 HUME v 



music as early; the boy Bidder who worked out 

 the most complicated sums without learning 

 arithmetic; the boy Pascal who evolved Euclid 

 out of his own consciousness: all these may be 

 said to have been impelled by instinct, as much as 

 are the beaver and the bee. And the man of 

 genius is distinct in kind from the man of clever- 

 ness, by reason of the working within him of 

 strong innate tendencies which cultivation may 

 improve, but which it can no more create, than 

 horticulture can make thistles bear figs. The 

 analogy between a musical instrument and the 

 mind holds good here also. Art and industry may 

 get much music, of a sort, out of a penny whistle; 

 but, when all is done, it has no chance against an 

 organ. The innate musical potentialities of the 

 two are infinitely different. 



