iio THE PHILOSOPHY 



CHAPTER XIII. 



Of the Habitations of Animals. 



MANY animals, as well as ihofe of the human fpecies, are 

 endowed by Nature with an architedtonic faculty. This fa- 

 culty is beftowed upon them for a number of wife and ufeful pur- 

 pofes. It enables them to conftruil proper habitations for conceal- 

 ing themfelves, for defending them againft the attacks of their ene- 

 mies, for flieltering and cherifhing their young, and for proteding 

 them from the injuries of the weather. 



All animals of the fame fpecies, when not reftrained by accidental 

 caufes, uniformly build in the fame ftyle, and ufe the fame materi- 

 als. From this general rule man is to be excepted. Poflefled of a 

 fuperior number of inftindts, of which the reafoning faculty is a 

 refult *, he can build in any ftyle, and employ fuch materials as his 

 taftc, his fancy, or the purpofes for which the fabric is intended, 

 fhall diredl him. A cottage or a palace are equally within the reach 

 of his powers. In treating of this fubjed:, we mean not to trace the 



progrefs 



* See Chap. V. Of Inftind. 



