I have above briefly spoken of the language expressive of the bodily
sensations, and have termed it really the automatic language of what
I call the “organic mind,” or “vital force.” Now we must speak of the
language capable of being used by the “instinctive mind”—a language, I
believe, that is sometimes involuntary or automatic, but which at other
times is under the voluntary control of such kind of will, judgment,
and choice as is capable of being exercised by the creature according
to its mental endowment as decreed and specialized.
Thus, by sounds or gestures, or other modes, animals, birds, insects,
etc., can express fear of danger, friendliness, hatred, anger, triumph,
etc.; and in some instances, as in the bee, can communicate such
special information as that the “queen is dead,” etc.
See two dogs meet: they evidently quite understand each other, and by
wagging of tails and bright glances, or the reverse; and a cheerful
bark or a savage snarl, can quickly intimate whether a gambol or a
fight is to result. No doubt, as in man, this result will be greatly
guided by the state of the bodily sensations (digestion, etc.), and as
to age and natural character; but yet the dogs’ communications, we may
be sure are only concerning pure animal sensations or concerns, and
never assume an intellectual character, such as, “How is your beloved
mistress?” etc.
Then look at the watchful bird on the tree-top, or the sentinel bull
on the hillock; each can sound the alarm, because its intuition or its
experience tells of danger. And then look at a party of rooks holding
a palaver; who can doubt but that in some way they communicate certain
feelings and perhaps ideas? And so as to hosts of other birds and
beasts; but then their mental processes cannot possibly—for reasons
which I have repeatedly given—be considered as of an intellectual sort
like that of man, indeed it very probably may be of so different a kind
to ours that we can not even guess at the nature of it.
I have not space to illustrate all the visible manifestations of the
different phases of mind in animals, but to mention only one other, who
can doubt but that in regard to triumph after a victory, the cock when
he gets on an elevation and crows must experience some of the pride of
conquest, and must have a sort of conception of the abstract idea of
exultation in regard to his courage and prowess?
And yet although, as in my opinion, we must not delude ourselves by
thinking that the foregoing are simply produced by reflex actions
arising only from bodily sensations; so we must not equally be misled
by supposing that such results arise from intellectual reasoning.
No! in my opinion, although all these acts and sounds are performed,
and produced, in some measure—_and in some measure only_—according
to the dictates of a _sort of conscious will; and a sort of abstract
reasoning_ (in some cases), yet they can only occur, or be done,
strictly according to the caliber, and quality, and specific endowment
of the kind of _non_-intellectual mind with which the creature has been
gifted by God—a caliber, and quality, and specific sort of mind which I
will not pretend to be able, in any way, to explain the nature of, or
essential mode of working.
* * * * *
Those who employ their time ill are the first to complain of its
shortness. As they spend it in dressing, eating, sleeping, foolish
conversation, in determining what they ought to do, and often in doing
nothing, time is wanting to them for their real business and pleasures:
those, on the contrary, who make the best use of it have plenty and to
spare.—_La Bruyère._
* * * * *
Even though it were true what many say, that education gives not to
man another heart, nor another temperament, that it changes nothing in
reality, and touches only the outside crust, I would not hesitate to
say that it is not useless.—_La Bruyère._