INSTINCT. 407 



baby were kept from getting on his feet for two or three 

 weeks after the first impulse to walk had shown itself in 

 him, — a small blister on each sole would do the business, — 

 he might then be expected to walk about as well, through 

 the mere ripening of his nerve-centres, as if the ordinary 

 process of ' learning ' had been allowed to occur during all 

 the blistered time. It is to be hoped that some scientific 

 widower, left alone with his ofi'sjoringat the critical moment, 

 may ere long test this suggestion on the living subject. 

 Climbing on trees, fences, furniture, banisters, etc., is a well- 

 marked instinctive propensity which ripens after the fourth 

 year. 



Vocalization. This may be either musical or significant. 

 Very few weeks after birth the baby begins to express its 

 spirits by emitting vowel sounds, as much during inspira- 

 tion as during expiration, and will lie on its back cooing 

 and gurgling to itself for nearly an hour. But this singing 

 has nothing to do with speech. Speech is ^onnA significant.. 

 During the second year a certain number of significant 

 sounds are gradually acquired ; but talking proper does not 

 set in till the instinct to imitate sounds ripens in the nervous 

 system ; and this ripening seems in soeiq children to be 

 quite abrupt. Then speech grows rapidly in extent and 

 perfection. The child imitates every word he hears uttered, 

 and repeats it again and again with the most evident plea- 

 sure at his new power. At this time it is quite impossible 

 to talk with him, for his condition is that of ' Echolalia,' — 

 instead of answering the question, he simply reiterates it. 

 The result is, however, that his vocabulary increases very 

 fast ; and little by little, with teaching from above, the 

 young prattler understands, puts words together to express 

 his own wants and perceptions, and even makes ijitelligent 

 replies. From a sj)eechless, he has become a speaking, 

 animal. The interesting point with regard to this instinct 

 is the oftentimes very sudden birth of the impulse to imi- 

 tate sounds. Up to the date of its awakening the child may 

 have been as devoid of it as a dog. Four days later his 

 whole energy may be poured into this new channel. The 

 habits of articulation formed during the plastic age of 

 childhood are in most persons sufficient to inhibit the for- 



