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LETTER XVII. 



SOCIETIES OF INSECTS— continued. 

 PERFECT SOCIETIES. (vVHITE ANTS AND ANTS.) 



The associations of insects of which my last letter gave you a detail were 

 of a very imperfect kind, both as to their object and duration : but those 

 which 1 am now to lay before you exhibit the semblance of a nearer 

 approach, both in their principle and its results, to the societies of man 

 himself. There are two kindred sentiments that in these last act with 

 most powerful energy — desire and affection. From the first proceed many 

 wants that cannot be satisfied without the intercourse, aid, and co-opera- 

 tion of others ; and by the last we are impelled to seek the good of certain 

 objects, and to delight in their society. Thus self-love combines with 

 philanthropy to produce the social principle, both desire and love alter- 

 nately urging us to an intercourse with each other ; and from these in 

 union originate the multiplication and preservation of the species. These 

 two passions are the master-movers in this business ; but there is a third 

 subsidiary to them, which, though it trenches upon the social principle, 

 considered abstractedly, is often a powerful bond of union in separate 

 societies — you will readily perceive that I am speaking of fear; — under 

 the influence of this passion these are drawn closer together, and unite 

 more intimately for defence against some common enemy, and to raise 

 works of munition that may resist his attack. 



The main instrument of association is language, and no association can 

 be perfect where there is not a common tongue. The origin of nation- 

 ality was difference of speech : at Babel, when tongues were divided, 

 nations separated. Language may be understood in a larger sense than to 

 signify inflections of the voice, — it may well include ail the means of 

 making yourself understood by another, whether by gestures, sounds, signs, 

 or words : the first two of these kinds may be called natural language, 

 and the last two arbitrary or artificial. 



I have said that perfect societies of insects exhibit the semblance of a 

 nearer approach, both in their principle and its results, to the societies of 

 man himself, because, unless we could perfectly understand what instinct 

 is, and how it acts, we cannot, without exposing ourselves to the charge 

 of temerity, assert that these are precisely the same. 



But when we consider the object of these societies, the preservation 

 and multiplication of the species, and the means by which that object is 

 attained, the united labors and co-operation of perhaps millions of indi- 

 viduals, it seems as if they were impelled by passions very similar to those 

 mainsprings of human associations which I have just enumerated. Desire 

 appears to stimulate them — love to allure them — fear to alarm them. 



