Analysis of Dr. Hancock's theory. 81 



i'cely^ — so in other words, they are the intellectually unconscious 

 subjects of that moral and rational intuition of which Man is the 

 intellectually conscious subject, — the free possessor. What in man 

 is moral or rational perception^ becomes in the brute mere natural 

 perception, — something Avhich he is led to be delighted with, (but 

 merely as his eye is delighted with the light that surrounds him,) 

 by means of the occasional illumination which flows into his animal 

 consciousness, causing him to adopt the perception, and affording at 

 the same time the power of a suitable discrimination, to be brought 

 forth into action. 



This humble species of discrimination, being qualijied by the 

 nature of the consciousness, may, under this view, be more pro- 

 perly designated natural discrimination, to distinguish it from 

 what is essentially rational ; and thus the analogy which, in the au- 

 thor's opinion, indicates a limited rationality , may rather be taken 

 to indicate a perception analogous to, but not in any continued affi- 

 nity of consciousness with, that of Man. Moreover, the discursive 

 faculty, as limited by Dr. Hancock, would be insufficient for 

 Brutes in their intercourse with Man, in the performance of 

 many of those actions in which Reason is supposed to be the 

 agent; as may be gathered from the examples which I shall 

 presently give of their actions, many of which are performed 

 from an impulse antecedent io that experience which is necessary 

 for ratiocination ; in the same manner that many actions are 

 rationally performed by human intelligence without recourse io 

 any mediate analysis : a quick intuitive perception must in many 

 cases be necessary to aid them in the performance of contingent 

 actions, involving a moral and intellectual power; — and to this 

 perception operating with more or less activity and intensity, we 

 may, I think, with propriety refer all such actions as those of which 

 the following is another example taken from Dr. Hancock's cata- 

 logue. 



" In ' Instinct Displayed,' an anecdote is related of a Cat, which 

 by giving timely warning in the best way she could to the Parent 

 of a Child in extreme danger, was the means of saving it from 

 drowning."* 



* See ' Instinct Displayed,' Letter 13. 



Vol. II. F 



