INTRODUCTION. 27 
to that of sight, hieroglyphics. Writing is a suite of images 
that relates to the sense of sight, by which we represent the 
elementary sounds; and by combining them, all the images 
relative to the sense of hearing of which speech is composed 5 
it is therefore only a mediate representation of ideas. 
This faculty of representing general ideas by particular 
signs or images associated with them, enables us to retain dis- 
tinctly, and to remember without embarrassment, an im- 
mense number; and furnishes to the reasoning faculty and 
the imagination innumerable materials, and to individuals 
means of communication, which cause the whole species to 
participate in the experience of each individual, so that no 
bounds seem to be placed to the acquisition of knowledge; it 
is the distinguishing character of human intelligence. 
Although, with respect to the intellectual faculties, the most 
perfect animals are infinitely beneath man; it is certain that 
their intelligence performs operations of the same kind. ‘They 
move in consequence of sensations received, are susceptible of 
durable affections, and acquire by experience a certain know- 
ledge of things, by which they are governed independently of 
actual pain or pleasure, and by the simple foresight of conse- 
quences. When domesticated, they feel their subordination, 
know that the being who punishes them may refrain from so 
doing if he will, and when sensible of having done wrong, or 
behold him angry, they assume a suppliant and deprecating 
air. In the society of man they become either corrupted or 
improved, and are susceptible of emulation and jealousy: they 
have among themselves a natural language, which, it is true, 
is merely the expression of their momentary sensations, but 
man teaches them to understand another, much more compli- 
eated, by which he makes known to them his will, and causes 
them to execute it. | 
To sum up all, we perceive in the higher animals a certain 
degree of reason; , with all its consequences, good and bad, and 
7 which appears to be ‘about the same as that of children ere they 
have learned to speak. ‘The lower we descend from man the 
weaker these facuities become, and at the bottom of the scale 
we find them reduced to signs (at times equivocal) of sensibi- 
