Ins] AND SYMBOLS. 177 



eager to denaturalise them. She is a good illustration of the 

 simpering mothers who preside over the destinies of some men's 

 children. The chief energies of such women are directed to 

 check the enterprise of the little ones, to conventionalise them, 

 and to render them chicken-hearted. RE. 



The Maternal Instinct at Fault. 



The maternal instinct does not always bring forth the fruits 

 of love, and practise the deeds of self-sacrifice and tender care. 

 In its perverted form it abandons the helpless one who looks to 

 it for protection. The instances of such perversion are not rare. 

 Father Kipa, writing about this subject in China, says that in 

 that vast empire there is nothing unusual in the spectacle of 

 children abandoned by their mothers. Indeed it occurs daily. 

 When mothers are poor and have large families, or observe any 

 defect upon the body of an infant, or any indication of an illness 

 likely to become troublesome or expensive, they cast away the 

 little creature without remorse. This cruel custom is also prac- 

 tised by unmarried women who have children, and especially 

 even by the members of a sect called ISTecoo, who pretend to live 

 in spotless chastity. The poor infants are secretly thrown into 

 a river, or left near the public road, even though it is well 

 known that in most cases they will be devoured by wild 

 beasts. ME. 



Opposing Instincts. 



Two instincts having different objects sometimes become 

 opposed to each other, and under these circumstances the 

 stronger always prevails. This is not uncommon among 

 swallows, which have been frequently observed to build their 

 nests at a late period of the season, and near the time when 

 they make their usual migrations from this country. Here the 

 young ones are hatched too late, and the instinct to migrate 

 being stronger than that which prompts them to cherish their 

 young, the latter are forsaken, and perish for want of food. 



s. 



M 



