'Tis thus we heed no instincts but our own,
Believe no evil, till the evil's done.
[Fr., read more

'Tis thus we heed no instincts but our own,
Believe no evil, till the evil's done.
[Fr., Nous n'ecoutons d'instincts que ceux qui sont les notres.
Et ne croyons le mal que quand il est venu.]

Instinct is action taken in pursuance of a purpose, but without conscious perception of what the purpose is.

Instinct is action taken in pursuance of a purpose, but without conscious perception of what the purpose is.

The very essence of instinct is that it's followed independently of reason.

The very essence of instinct is that it's followed independently of reason.

A good man, through obscurest aspirations
Has still an instinct of the one true way.
[Ger., Ein read more

A good man, through obscurest aspirations
Has still an instinct of the one true way.
[Ger., Ein guter Mensch, in seinem dunkeln Drange,
Ist sich des rechten Weges sohl bewusst.]

Instinct and reason how can we divide?
'Tis the fool's ignorance, and the pedant's pride.

Instinct and reason how can we divide?
'Tis the fool's ignorance, and the pedant's pride.

But honest instinct comes a volunteer; Sure never to o'er-shoot, but just to hit, While still too wide or short read more

But honest instinct comes a volunteer; Sure never to o'er-shoot, but just to hit, While still too wide or short in human wit.

The active part of man consists of powerful instincts, some of which are gentle and continuous; others violent and short; read more

The active part of man consists of powerful instincts, some of which are gentle and continuous; others violent and short; some baser, some nobler, and all necessary.

Trust the instinct to the end, though you can render no reason

Trust the instinct to the end, though you can render no reason

The ideal condition would be, I admit, that men should be right by instinct; but since we are all likely read more

The ideal condition would be, I admit, that men should be right by instinct; but since we are all likely to go astray, The reasonable thing is to learn from those who can teach