248 THE FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS 
IJ.—Puay 
“There are two quite different popular ideas of play,” says 
Professor Groos, in his admirable work on “The Play of 
Animals.” “The first is that the animal (or man) begins to 
play when he feels particularly cheerful, healthy, and strong ; 
the second that the play of young animals serves to fit them 
for the tasks of later life.” The former view, in which the 
latter may be included incidentally as a result, is closely asso- 
ciated with the names of Schiller,* who suggested it, and of 
Mr. Herbert Spencer,t who developed it. Mr. Wallaschek t 
expresses the conception briefly and clearly when he says, 
“It is the surplus vigour in more highly developed organisms, 
exceeding what is required for immediate needs, in which play 
of all kinds takes its rise, manifesting itself by way of imita- 
tion or repetition of all those efforts and exertions which are 
essential to the maintenance of life.” That surplus vigour is 
often a condition favouring the manifestation of play is prob- 
able enough, and seems to be supported by observation and 
experience ; but that it is likewise a condition favouring the 
chase, combat, mating, and much of the serious business of 
animal life seems equally unquestionable. Success in all these 
matters is largely determined by overflowing energy. In play, 
however, this surplus vigour finds vent when there is no 
serious occasion for its exercise. But, as Professor Groos says,§ 
“while simple overflow of energy explains quite well that the 
individual who finds himself in a condition of overflowing 
enerey is ready to do something, it does not explain how it 
happens that all the individuals of a species manifest exactly 
the specific kind of play expression which prevails with their 
own species, but differs from every other.” And if to this it 
be replied, that the specific kind is determined by repetition or 
* “Netters on the Adsthetic Education of Mankind,” xxvii. 
+ “Principles of Psychology,” § 533. 
t “On the Origin of Music,” pp. 231, 232. 
§ “The Play of Animals,” Eng. trans., p. 12. 
