118 HUMBLE CREATURES. 



itself with that of reason), as weU as upon that of the 

 humble creatures whose parts and life-history we 

 have endeavoured to delineate. 



As the question of instinct has occupied the at- 

 tention of many of the most eminent thinkers of all 

 ageSj we shall commence by selecting and comparing, 

 in as unprejudiced a manner as possible, a few of the 

 definitions that have at different times been applied 

 to it, that the resiilt may serve to guide us in our 

 own observations. 



And, first, let us turn to the pages of one of our 

 valuable companions in these inquiries, " Kirby and 

 Spence " ; for we shall there find, conveniently stated 

 for our purposes, the opinions of several eminent 

 thinkers, and not the least important amongst them, 

 that of one of the authors of the work in question. 



Mr. Spence, who has perhaps considered as care- 

 fully as any man the habits of those creatures in 

 whom the psychical quality known as " instinct " is 

 the most highly developed, glances cursorily at the 

 various modes by which it has been defined, refnting 

 each theory that appears to him incorrect as he pro- 

 ceeds, and summing up with his own ideas on the 

 subject*. 



We shall now state those opinions with which Mr. 

 Spence disagrees, adding his objections to them, as 

 well as his view of the question; but, before endea- 



* Since these pages were written, Mr. Spenee has departed 

 this life, leaving behind him a name that wiU be handed down 

 to posterity. 



