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Show 90 THE DESCENT OF MAN. PAnT I. of such feelings would be an unnatural monster. On the other hand, the desire to satisfy hunger, or any passion, such as vengeance, is in its nature temporary, and can for a time be fully satisfied. Nor is it easy, perhaps hardly possible, to call up with complete vividness the feeling, for instance, of hunger; nor indeed, as has often been remarked, of any suffering. The instinct of self-preservation is not felt except in the presence of danger; and many a coward has thought himself brave until he has met his enemy face to face. The wish for another man's property is perhaps as persistent a desire as any that can be nam~d; but even . in this case the satisfaction of actual possession is generally a weaker feeling than the desire : many a thief, if not an habitual one, after success has wondered why he stole some article. Thus, as man cannot prevent old impressions continually repassing through his mind, he will be compelled to compare the weaker impressions of, for insta~ ce, past hunger, or of vengeance satisfied or danger avoided at the cost of other men, with the instinct of sympathy and good-will to his fellows, which is still present and ever in some degree active in his mind. He will tl~en feel in his imagination that a stronger instinct has y1elded to one which now seems comparatively weak; and then that sense of dissatisfaction will inevitably .be felt with which man is endowed, like every other anrmal, in order that his instincts may be obeyed. The case before given, of the swallow affords an illustration, though of a reversed nature: of a temporary though for the time strongly persistent instinct conquering another instinct which is usually dominant over all others. At the proper season these birds seem all day. long ~o be impressed with the desire to migrate; their habits change ; they become restless, are noisy, CnAP. Ill. MORAL SENSE. 91 and congregate in flocks. Whilst the mother-bird is feeding or brooding over her nestlings, the maternal instinct is probably stronger than the migratory; but the instinct which is more persistent gains the victory, and at last, at a moment when her young ones are not in siaht she takes flight and deserts them. When 0 ' arrived at the end of her long journey, and the migra-tory instinct ceases to act, ·what an agony of remorse each bird would feel, if, from being endowed with great mental activity, she could not prevent the image continually passing before her mind of her young ones perishing in the bleak north from cold and hunger. At the moment of action, man will no doubt be apt to follow the stronger impulse; and though this may occasionally prompt him to the noblest deeds, it will far more commonly lead him to gratify his own desires at the expense of other men. But after their gratification, when past and weaker impressions are contrasted with the ever-enduring social instincts, retTibution will surely come. Man will then feel dissatisfied with himself, and will resolve with more or less force to act differently for the future. This is conscience ; for conscience looks backwards and judges past actions, inducing that kind of dissatisfaction, which if weak we call regret, and if severe remorse. These sensations are, no doubt, different from those experienced when other instincts or desires are left unsatisfied; but every unsatisfied instinct has its own proper prompting sensation, as we recognise with hunger,. thirst, &c. Man thus prompted, will through long habit acquire such perfect self-command, that his desires and passions will at last instantly yield to his social sympathies, and there will no longer be a struggle between them. The still hungry, or the still revengeful man will not think of stealing food, or of wreaking his |