1^5 THEPHILOSOPHY 



Senfation implies a fentient principle or mind. Whatever feels, 

 therefore, Is mind. Of courfe, the loweft fpecies of animals are en- 

 dowed with mind : But the minds of animals have very different 

 powers ; and thefe powers are expreffed by peculiar actions. The 

 ftrudure of their bodies is uniformly adapted to the powers of their 

 minds. We never fee a mature animal attempting adlions which 

 Nature has not enabled it to perform, by beftowing on it proper in- 

 ftruments. A bee collefts the materials of honey and wax, but at- 

 tempts not to gnaw rotten wood, like the wafp. — Neither does pe- 

 culiarity of ftrufture prompt the adlions of brutes. Calves pufti 

 with their heads long before their horns are grown. This, and fi- 

 milar examples, fhew, that the inftindts of brutes exift previous to 

 the expanfion of thofe inflruments which Nature intended they 

 fhould employ. 



This view of inftinft Is fimple, removes every objedlion to the 

 exiftence of mind in brutes, and unfolds all their adtions, by refer- 

 ring them to motives perfectly fimilar to thofe by which man is 

 adluated. There is, perhaps, a greater difference between the men- 

 tal powers of fome animals than between thofe of man and the moft 

 fagacious brutes. * Inftindts may be confidered as fo many internal 

 fenfes, of which fome animals have a greater, and others a fmaller 

 number. Thefe fenfes, in different fpecies, are likewife more or lefs 

 dudlile ; and the animals pofleffing them are, of courfe, more or 

 lefs fufceptible of improving, and of acquiring knowledge. 



The notion that animals are machines, is perhaps too abfurd to 

 merit refutation. Though no animal is endowed with mental pow- 

 ers equal to thofe of man, yet there is not a faculty of the human 

 mind, but evident marks of its exiftence are to be found in particu- 

 lar animals. Senfes, memory, imagination, the principle of imita- 

 tion, curiofity, cunning, ingenuity, devotion, ox refpeft for fuperi- 



ors> 



