If we suppose any habitual action to become inherited--and it can be shown
that this does sometimes happen--then the resemblance between what
originally was a habit and an instinct becomes so close as not to be
distinguished. If Mozart, instead of playing the pianoforte at three years
old with wonderfully little practice, had played a tune with no practice at
all, be might truly be said to have done so instinctively. But it would be
a serious error to suppose that the greater number of instincts have been
acquired by habit in one generation, and then transmitted by inheritance to
succeeding generations. It can be clearly shown that the most wonderful
instincts with which we are acquainted, namely, those of the hive-bee and
of many ants, could not possibly have been acquired by habit.
It will be universally admitted that instincts are as important as
corporeal structures for the welfare of each species, under its present
conditions of life. Under changed conditions of life, it is at least
possible that slight modifications of instinct might be profitable to a
species; and if it can be shown that instincts do vary ever so little, then
I can see no difficulty in natural selection preserving and continually
accumulating variations of instinct to any extent that was profitable. It
is thus, as I believe, that all the most complex and wonderful instincts
have originated. As modifications of corporeal structure arise from, and
are increased by, use or habit, and are diminished or lost by disuse, so I
do not doubt it has been with instincts.
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