XV.] THE LAWS OF HABIT. 169 



in order to fix themselves is a motor action ; the for- 

 mation of the cushions is a formative action ; yet both 

 are characteristics of the species, and the one is surely as 

 much a habit as the other. 



I am, however, aware that the mere definition of the 

 right use of a word, however needful and however accu.- 

 rate, ought never to be confounded with the ascertainment 

 of a natural law. We ought carefuUy to guard against the 

 error of making any assertion as to matter of fact, in the 

 disguise of the definition of a term. I now go on to state 

 what I conceive tlie laws of habit to be. 



All vital actions whatever come under the laws of habit : All vital 

 and none but vital actions do so. By vital actions 1 mean become 

 all those actions which organisms perform in virtue of liabitiial, 

 being alive : and when I speak of actions, I include all 

 functions, even those in which the organism is usually said 

 to be passive, as in sensation. 



The definition of habit, and its primary law, is that all tending to 

 vital actions tend to repeat themselves ; or, if they are not them- 

 such as can repeat themselves, they tend to become easier selves. 

 on repetition. 



It may appear that this law is in no way peculiar to the 

 actions of living beings : for there are many inorganic Apparent 

 actions that tend to repeat themselves, and to become If v'^?'^'^^'' 

 easier on repetition. For instance : flovtdng water gene- 

 rally makes a channel for itself, and tends to flow after- 

 wards in the same channel ; and if a piece of paper has 

 been once folded, it is easier to fold it again in the same 

 folds than in new ones. But there is a fundamental differ- fimda- 

 ence between such cases and all true cases of vital habit. ^^^^^^^^ 



. . dinerent. 



The cases just mentioned are cases in which the direction 



of action is determined by mere change of form : the water 

 tends to flow in the channels, because their form is suit- 

 able; the paper tends to lie in particular folds, because 

 it has acquired their form. But let the channels be filled 

 up, or let the folds be taken out of the paper by hot pres- 

 sure, and these tendencies wUl be utterly lost. 



But, it may be said, may not organic habits be the result ^heory 

 of changes of the same kind ? May not the formative, organic 



