IMPULSIVE FORCES 165 



by directing its inferences from the accidental to 

 the essential ; also by extending immensely its 

 scope, and so enabling it to draw inferences not 

 merely from impressions or recollections of things, 

 but from conceptions of their properties. By 

 volition, or the exercise of will, we are able to 

 enforce the conclusions of reason, and we are thus 

 equipped with the means of guiding ourselves 

 through difficulties which, in the case of the lower 

 animals, are met by the injunctions of directive 

 instinct. But reason, consciousness, and will 

 share their authority over us with a multitude 

 of impulsive instincts selfish and social, repro- 

 ductive and provident, cruel and kind, aesthetic 

 and ethical which vary greatly in strength from 

 individual to individual, but can generally set 

 up from amongst their number, in each one of us, 

 some tyrant, or tyrants some " favourite " 

 propensity which our conscious reason and our 

 will are unable to coerce. But, if assisted by 

 habit, they may be able to prevail. Habits, 

 acquired sometimes by will power, more generally 

 by imitation, or education (a form of imitation) 

 may be employed to facilitate the outflow of 

 particular impulses that are commended by 

 reason, and, proportionately, to weaken the 

 influence of others of which reason disapproves. 

 But, if entrusted too confidingly with the direction 

 of our behaviour, habit may enslave us, and grow 

 into such a tyranny as we employed it to dethrone. 

 Our path is, indeed, strewn with pitfalls. We have 

 liberty such as is denied to the insects ; but it 

 leads us through dangers from which their lives 

 are free. 







Features of the body vary from individual to 

 individual in size, shape or colour : so do in- 

 stinctive impulses vary in strength ; and, since 



