278 PSYCHOLOGY. 



man who lays down a general plan, and does not see the variations or 

 deviations that should take place in it, and therefore does not guard 

 against or provide for them, is acting like a bird. The bird, being 

 wholly ruled by instinct, does not alter its plan (if it could be called 

 one) ; but the man's, being a principle in his mind, he can and does 

 vary from his original plan. However, this is not always the case ; for 

 general principles to many are such as that they cannot alter [their 

 plans] even to meet contingencies ; therefore their case is very similar 

 to instinct. 



Animals I believe have the power of repeating actions, which at first 

 are accidental, but which give them pleasure ; and, of course, of avoid- 

 ing such as give them pain : and probably that is the utmost extent of 

 the animal powers below the human, independently of instinct. The 

 extent of these principles in any class of animals bespeaks their supe- 

 riority over the others, and gives them a greater facility to learn. 



A kitten plays with a ball from finding that it moves, and because 

 that motion gives delight, from being similar to life in an animal. 



I can conceive a monkey to be delighted with the effects of action ; 

 such as throwing things down, being pleased with seeing them fall : 

 and the monkey having a greater variety of such amusements, this 

 gives him a superiority over other animals, and brings him nearer to the 

 human species in the state of childhood, before the consequences of 

 actions can be considered. 



Than that animals have x'eason, nothing can be more clear ; for all 

 animals can go mad ; by which they lose all instinctive and acquired 

 properties of the mind. 



Loose ' Notes and Queries } on Imitation and Custom. 



Imitation is so much a principle in Man that it distinguishes families, 

 towns, and nations. Imitation in manner is caught by the sight ; and 

 as a proof of this, let us observe that a blind man has not the manner 

 or gait or mode of walking that a man has that sees. 



Because we do turn the optic nerves to objects most commonly, is no 

 proof that it is not done by custom ; for as the most distinct object is 

 painted nowhere else, custom finds out that proper place. It would be 

 contradictory to the rule of sensation to say that we would not turn 

 the most sensible part to objects that we choose to be sensible of. 



Closing our eyes when a cannon is fired arises from custom ; for we 

 do not do so when it is at a distance ; nor would we do it at all, if we 

 did not know there was a flash : a child does not do it. 



Every thing that gives pleasure at first, lessens by practice ; and 

 every thing that gives pain, becomes more easy. 



