THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS OF INSTINCT. 239 



as between instinct and reason. It remains yet for me to show you that 

 all these are equally distinct principles ; that they may exist separately or 

 conjointly ; and it remains also for me to offer examples from among the 

 more curious or striking instances of each of these recondite powers, both 

 j under a more simple and a more complicated modification. This shall 

 form the basis of our ensuing study. At present 1 shall only further ob- 

 serve, that instinct may be defined the operation of the principle of or- 

 ganized life by the exercise of certain natural powers directed to the pre- 

 sent or future good of the individual ; and reason the operation of the 

 principle of intellectual life, by the exercise of certain acquired powers 

 i directed to the same end. Both equally answer their object, are equally 

 j perfect in their kind, and equally display their common origin. 



Whether with Reason or with Instinct blest, 

 Thus all enjoy the power which suits them best ; 

 And bliss ahke by that direction tend, 

 And find the means proportion'd to their end. 

 Say, where full instinct is th' unerring guide, 

 What Pope or Council can they need beside ? 

 Reason, however able, cool at best. 

 Cares not tor service, or but serves when prest 

 Stays till we call, and then not often near ; 

 But honest Instinct comes a volunteer : 

 Sun; never to o'ershoot, but just to hit. 

 While still too wide or short is human wit ; 

 Sure, by quick nature, happiness to gain. 

 Which heavier Reason labours at in vain. 

 This too serves always, Reason never long. 

 One must go right, th< other may go wrong ; 

 See then the acting and comparing powers, 

 One in their nature, which are two in ours ; 

 And Reason raise o'er Instinct as you can, 



In this 'tis God directs, in that 'tis man. Pope, 



LECTURE V. 



ON THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTEKS OF INSTINCT, SENSATION, AND 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



We closed our last study by observing that instinct is the operation of 

 the principle of organized life by the exercise of certain natural powers 

 directed to the present or future good of the individual, while reason is 

 the operation of the principle of intellectual life by the exercise of certain 

 acquired powers directed to the same end. Hence reason demands dis- 

 cipline and attains maturity ; instinct, on the contrary, neither demands 

 the one nor is capable of attaining the other ; it is disciplined and mature 

 from the first, and is as perfect in the infant as in the man. 



Instinct, however, has as often been confounded with feeling or sen- 

 sation as it has with perception, which is the outline or foundation of 

 reason : and hence another source of those perplexities and errors in dis- 

 tinguishing between animal and vegetable life which we noticed in the 

 preceding lecture ; perplexities and errors which have been productive of 

 the most absurd and disgusting consequences, and especially in regard to 

 the delicate and elegant science of botany. 



Instinct, sensation, and perception, are all principles essentially differ- 

 ent ; they may, indeed, exist conjointly, but each of them is capable of 

 existing separately. Instinct is the common law or property of organized 

 matter, as gravit?ition is of nnorjranized : and the former bears the same 



