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review of Priscilla Wakefield's Instict Displayed,
Extra-Ordinary Sagacity of the Animal Creation

United States Literary Gazette

1824-Apr

1824-Apr | United States Literary Gazette, review of "Instinct Displayed in a Collection of Well Authenticated Facts, Explemplifying the Extra-Ordinary Sagacity of Various Species of the Animal Creation, by Priscilla Wakefield, (Boston, 1816)," United States Literary Gazette 1 (1824-Apr-15) 24; Online at Google Books.

Instinct Displayed in a Collection of well authenticated Facts, exemplifying the extra-ordinary Sagacity of various Species of the Animal Creation. By Priscilla Wakefield. Boston, 181G. 12mo. pp. 335.

There are few species of narrative, which are more pleasing to a great part of mankind, than the relation of extraordinary facts concerning animals. Who will not listen to any story of the sagacity of a dog or a horse. Nor is this interest limited to domestic animals. The man who heard another say that he had seen two bears fighting in the woods, and asked which of them beat, expressed only an ordinary degree of curiosity. If we well understood why these anecdotes are so pleasing to us, we might be able to make them subservient to some very important purpose; and oven without such metaphysical knowledge, they need not serve as a mere matter of amusement.

Mrs Wakefield seems to have been well aware of this fact, and has contrived very skillfully to promote several moral purposes by connecting them with this subject. The most natural of these is humanity to animals; and perhaps no more effectual method could be devised. Another general principle, which she contrives to inculcate in connexion with her anecdotes, is the identity of happiness with usefulness. This is done with much ingenuity, and yet great simplicity. The whole work consists of a correspondence between two young ladies. Caroline was, by misfortune, reduced to the necessity of retiring from London to an obscure town in Wales. Here she found a home in a most worthy family; but every thing presented a painful contrast to her former mode of life. She was not long deprived of her amusements, without looking about for something to do; and her aunt supplied her with such work, as she could be readily taught to perform. She gradually became interested in the useful avocations of the family, and learned, like her associates to seek for happiness in doing good.

Her attention was naturally excited by the modes of life and the usefulness of domestic animals. This was all new; and, like the rest of mankind, she soon learned to desire a knowledge of every remarkable fact concerning them. Much pains was taken to gratify this curiosity; and these anecdotes became a principal topic in her letters to Emily, her former associate. She also keeps in view her progress in a useful life; and the two subjects are so combined, that they mutually add to the interest of her letters. Emily in return makes the most of the subject; and contrives to supply her share of well authenticated anecdotes. From this sketch of the plan of this little work, every reader must be prepared to approve it. Its whole moral character is very amiable and judicious. Indeed, we can scarcely place our children in better company than Mrs Wakefield. We do not much relish her fondness for comparing instinct with reason, and leaving the reader to infer that men are but a more sagacious sort of brutes. But she finds what are thought very high authorities for this, and we must leave her and them to correct their error, when an improved state of the human character shall render it more manifest. It is remarkable that this book is not more frequently found in the hands of children. There are few equally interesting or more pure in their moral character; and it contains a great variety of facts important in Natural History.