New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-02
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
pRorEsSOR CHAnROrRNE ON INSTINCT.

In the outset of tins volume Professor ChadDourne
iudciously separates the questions relating to the
origin and destiny OF Man. and 10 the character of
the in its present condition. 1t not yet time
10 determine the former by the lights of science
Many generations must pass away before the noces-
sary data can he obtained for the solution of the
problem. Indeed the past history and the future
prospects of the human must, to great degree,
always remain covered with mpenetrable darkness.
In it's relation to science the course of humanity Is
like the bridge in the vision of Mira vailed with
thick clouds resting on either end.
But the previous question as TO the distinctive
character of Mantle essence and function of the
purely Humans fully open to the researches of
science. If we would improve the condition of
Humanity the first step is 20 explore the nature of
Nan. We must know what powers he possesses, and
the law of their development. If he is a being OF
physical organization alone, his nature is cOmpre-
hended in the science Of physiology. II he has
powers of n superior order, their nature and action
are the appropriate subjects of scientific research
No doubt the first aspect in which man is presented
Is that of an animal. His body is animal
ia it's origin, in its life. and its death. The
welfare of the body is condition Of men-
tai power. 1t presents the same sort of
organs as the lower tribes, but fashioned for
higher use. In the supcrSensual nature Of man. also
the animal powers minister TO a higher life than
those tribes ever possess There is comparative
psychology as well as comparative anatomy. We
must exhaust the comparison between men and
animals before we reach the distinctive nature
of man.
With these premises in view, Professor Chad
bourne undertakes to give an exhaustive treatment
of the subject of Instinct but although the questions
which il presents relate TO the peculiar character
isics of animals, the discussion is conducted with
reference 10 the higher nature of man. The author
inquiries into the functions of animal instincts, in
order TO trace clearly the instructive principles
in the human constitution.
Alucid statement is given in the outset OF the
comparison of mans anatomical structure with that
Of the lower animals. The whole vertebrate series
is bound together by homologies OF organization
which demonstrate unity of pan lherc Is not
single essential bone or organ IN the human pody
that is not found in the lower members Of the Verte
brate group. 1t may be said that every essential
organ in the structure of the vertebrate animals is
simply a modification of some organ found IN man,
either in his mature or imperfect state The hand,
the foot the wing the fin, in various classes OF AM
mails are all constructed on the same type But TINS
eorrespondcnce is not so evident in the supersensual
part Of man compared with that OF the lower am
mails On this point there is n wide difference of
opinion among the most intelligent students. Some
affirm that thcre.is nothing in man not found in The
butes and that even a-dOg has moral nature, per-
hap superior to that of some Others deny toman
any possession whatever Of instructive principles
Many regard the brain simply as the organ OF the
mind but according TO others, mind and thought
are the products of the cerebral cells.
The criticisms presented by Professor Chadbourne
on the leading ideas of modern natural science in
dictate the strong hold which they have taken of the
alcst thinkers &C the day, and form of the most
Interesting portions of the volume He admits, for
instance that the method of POstivism Is the only
true one for approaching the physi, al sciences and
that in the investigation of Nature, the only ques-
ton is What is" never What ought to be :" In
the opinion of the author Professor Huxleys doc
trne OF ''Protoplasm" is insufficient to explain the
origin or the nature of life In every living plant or
animal he maintains there seems to be an inmate
rial essence to which refer the peculiar qualities
of these organic beings. In the mineral kingdom
the force of cohesion produces different forms OF
CRYSTALS from different elements. There is an agency
which from essentially the same elements gives
liz the myriad forms of plants and animals
from the bumbest marine growth to man
himself Each kind exhibits plan of
structure common TO every individual of the
kind Each individual has a cycle of operations that
bring il to the perfection of its being, and is then
followed by weakness, decay, death, and the de-
struo ton OF the body by chemical agencies. Before
death comes in the regular order of nature by the
coInpl, ton Of the cycle of changes, there is
some relationship of that being to the origin of
another of the same kind to continue after the
fTst has passed away. In every vegetable and ami
nal this power presides giving rise to tine actlyi-
ties which We call life. This train of results
sists in building up by evolution complicated
structure from a single cell. And this power which
impresses us under the of life manifests it
self under the most diverse forms Ofmatter composed
Of the same elements But the relation of this prin
cpe to the great forces of nature is absolutely I'M
known az the origin of gTayitation. 1t can
not be deduced either from the analysis or the syn
Thesis of the forces of the inorganic world. After
MI Huxley has carried us back TO Protoplasm," we
are Just rs much in the dark ever. Indeed, the
author rather mischievOusly lnsinuates tnaU Oh ii
question of this kind the authority of the most emf
nept scientist is no better than that OF the rudest
clown Because one man knows more of fossil
reptiles than another, it does not follow that the
latter must accept all the conclusions OF the former
ON every subject. II one does not understand fossil
turtles, he may be able to understand falr argu-
ment and TO detect bad logic. 1t has more than once
happened that very able and learned comparative
anatomists have fancied that they have found the
head of an animal where nature placed his tall"
With regard to MrWalace's theory that birds build
their nests with materials most convenient to them,
Professor c. remarks, that although the statement
is true as a general proposition, 1t IS not
trne that they have learned to build with
certain materials merely because they are abun-
dant. Different kinds of birds in the same
regions build upon very different plans. Many OF
them build with materials that by means
abundant The great-crested fy-catcher, for ex-
ample uses the castoff skins of snakes for its nests
but certainly not because they are the most abun-
aaut materials that 1t can find. Mr. Wallace has
also preached the theory that the young bird studies
the nest and builds by imitation. Upon which
hat htpla ly