The Portland daily press., 1866-06-07

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Instinct and Reason. Alexander Pope In his
Essay on Man, said,
"In this Instinct It's God directs in that Reasonl
'tis man."
and proceeds with grand argument to show
the superiority of Instinct over Reason, as be-
ing more certain and unerring guide. Whose
reason could construct dam as the beaver
does? Whose mechanical genius could con-
trive and execute SO exact and perfect piece
of work as the cells 7hich the hee constructs?
DR.: Paley defines Instinct to be "a knowledge
independent of instruction and propensity
prior to experience" Perhaps this is as phil
osophical a definition as we can appeal to, and
yet it strikes us that there is amongst animals,
particularly in the elephant, the horse, the
dog, and even an old rat, sometimes a knowl-
edge that is not independent of instruction !"
and if SO, wherein is that not reason? How
was it with the elephant which our old school
books told about? Passing a tailors shop, he
had the curiosity to protrude his proboscis in
to the window; when the knight of the shears,
to punish him for such presumption, thrust
a needle into his snout. The majestic crea-
ture quietly retired, and proceeding to neigh
boring pool of dirty water, charged his trunk
Herewith, and speedily appearing before the
shop emptied half barrel ofmuddy water ur-
on the tailor and his drapery. In man, this
would be called retributive calculation. Why
is it not the same in an elephant?
The horse we call an intelligent animal
Facts, illustrating some property in that noble
animal, beyond the mere impulse of instinct,
are familiar to every one. As case in point,
we will mention fact which few years ago
came under our own observation. A physi-
clan who resided in our neighborhood, was
called for to proceed in haste to a patient out
Of town. His horse was loose in pasture that
was open to the stable yard. Knowing him
to be somewhat wary-especially when he had
a propensity to refresh himself on good grass,
the doctor thought he should make sure of his
purpose soonest by entering the pasture with
Q peck measure with some oats in it-calculat.
ing that his greed of oats would overpower
his reason, and that he should thus be able
speedily to catch his horse. He approached
old Dobbin, shook the oats at him by the
friendly invitation of @co7jack, co.jack, CO.
jack" The horse drew near; he evidently
wished for the contents of the vessel, but
seemed to calculate that if he ventured any
nearer to his master, he should be captured,
he stood at a respectful distance, sire. ching
out his neck, cycling the measure very wish
fully, but concluded on the whole that he had
rather go without the oats than to be harness.
ed for new and perhaps tedious journey. He
therefore withdrew his horseship and renewed
the delightful task Of cropping the young and
tender grass. Failing in several attempts to
induce the animal to come nearer than at
first, the doctor thought he would put his reas-
on against that Of his horse and see which
would prove most e6ectual So he sat down
the oats and walked a few PAGES away The
horse now approached without hesitancy and
began to eat the oats. The doctor calculated
that the power OF gratiied appetite would ov-
ercome his calculations of safety, and that he
might approach gently as he was eating and
lay his hand upon his name. But the horse
thought differently. He wanted the oats
much, but he did not want to be caught more.
How could he contrive to accomplish both OBJ
jectsp Thus: As soon as the doctor approach
ed, the horse took the vessel in his mouth.
and walked off with it till the doctor stopped,
when he sat it down and recommended the
repast. Thus the doctor pursued him. the
horse taking up the measure Whenever he adj
vanced towards him, and making of till he
had eaten all the oats, when he abandoned
the empty vessel. The poor doctor was outw..t-
ted. Nothing now remained but to return to
the house, call out the boys with their whips
and drive the cunning horse into the yard that
he might there be taken. After a display of
much generalship in evading his pursuers, he
was finally driven into the enclosure and cap
tured. Was it Instinct in this horse that
taught him how to reason in this manner?-
We should call similar calculation in man,
an evidence of his being blest with reason
The fox is most cunning animal, as all
hunters can testify.
The rat is more sagacious than many sup
pose. DIR. Darwin relates fact that took
place within. his own personal knowledge.
There was tub in his cellar that had eggs in
the bottom of it. They disappeared quite rap
idly: the doctor knew rats were fond of them,
but was not able to imagine how they
could contrive to raise them out of the
tub without breaking the shell. One day he
resolved to watch and see if he could detect
the operation. In due time large rat ap-
preached the tub and descended into it. He
clasped an egg in his fore-arms and elevated
himself by the wall of the tub on his posteri-
ors but without the use of his fore legs he
could not make an ascent over the rim. Fin
ally he withdrew; but in few minutes ap-
peared again in company with mate even
larger than himself. They both approached
the tub; one stood outside, and the other des-
cended amongst the eggs. Having clasped
one in his fore-arms, he elevated his posterior
parts till his hind legs reached the top of the
tub and his tail hung over the rim. The rat
in waiting outside the tub, seized the others
tail by his mouth and by main strength drew
his fellow with his body out of the tub, and
thus the egg was secured at last, as thefesult
of wise plan and successful calculation. DIR.
d. is most reputable author, and he affirms
this fact within his own observation. Now was
this Reason, or was it Instinct that taught
fhoeo 70 how u, ooc,,;ro <I.n or-~O To