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affair with amusement； she never either asked us if we had happened
to see such a thing as a fly go down our way lately； or accused us
of having taken it from herboth of which ideas she would； I am
confident； have been very well able to convey to us if she had been
so minded。
Now what are thought and reason if the processes that were going
through this cat's mind were not both one and the other？ It would
be childish to suppose that the cat thought in words of its own； or
in anything like words。 Its thinking was probably conducted through
the instrumentality of a series of mental images。 We so habitually
think in words ourselves that we find it difficult to realise
thought without words at all； our difficulty； however； in imagining
the particular manner in which the cat thinks has nothing to do with
the matter。 We must answer the question whether she thinks or no；
not according to our own ease or difficulty in understanding the
particular manner of her thinking； but according as her action does
or does not appear to be of the same character as other action that
we commonly call thoughtful。 To say that the cat is not
intelligent； merely on the ground that we cannot ourselves fathom
her intelligencethis； as I have elsewhere said； is to make
intelligence mean the power of being understood； rather than the
power of understanding。 This nevertheless is what； for all our
boasted intelligence； we generally do。 The more we can understand
an animal's ways； the more intelligent we call it； and the less we
can understand these； the more stupid do we declare it to be。 As
for plantswhose punctuality and attention to all the details and
routine of their somewhat restricted lines of business is as obvious
as it is beyond all praisewe understand the working of their minds
so little that by common consent we declare them to have no
intelligence at all。
Before concluding I should wish to deal a little more fully with
Professor Max Muller's contention that there can be no reason
without language； and no language without reason。 Surely when two
practised pugilists are fighting； parrying each other's blows； and
watching keenly for an unguarded point； they are thinking and
reasoning very subtly the whole time； without doing so in words。
The machination of their thoughts； as well as its expression； is
actualI mean； effectuated and expressed by action and deed； not
words。 They are unaware of any logical sequence of thought that
they could follow in words as passing through their minds at all。
They may perhaps think consciously in words now and again； but such
thought will be intermittent； and the main part of the fighting will
be done without any internal concomitance of articulated phrases。
Yet we cannot doubt that their action； however much we may
disapprove of it； is guided by intelligence and reason； nor should
we doubt that a reasoning process of the same character goes on in
the minds of two dogs or fighting…cocks when they are striving to
master their opponents。
Do we think in words； again； when we wind up our watches； put on our
clothes； or eat our breakfasts？ If we do； it is generally about
something else。 We do these things almost as much without the help
of words as we wink or yawn； or perform any of those other actions
that we call reflex； as it would almost seem because they are done
without reflection。 They are not； however； the less reasonable
because wordless。
Even when we think we are thinking in words； we do so only in half
measure。 A running accompaniment of words no doubt frequently
attends our thoughts； but； unless we are writing or speaking； this
accompaniment is of the vaguest and most fitful kind； as we often
find out when we try to write down or say what we are thinking
about； though we have a fairly definite notion of it； or fancy that
we have one； all the time。 The thought is not steadily and
coherently governed by and moulded in words； nor does it steadily
govern them。 Words and thought interact upon and help one another；
as any other mechanical appliances interact on and help the
invention that first hit upon them； but reason or thought； for the
most part； flies along over the heads of words； working its own
mysterious way in paths that are beyond our ken； though whether some
of our departmental personalities are as unconscious of what is
passing； as that central government is which we alone dub with the
name of 〃we〃 or 〃us；〃 is a point on which I will not now touch。
I cannot think； then； that Professor Max Muller's contention that
thought and language are identicaland he has repeatedly affirmed
thiswill ever be generally accepted。 Thought is no more identical
with language than feeling is identical with the nervous system。
True； we can no more feel without a nervous system than we can
discern certain minute organisms without a microscope。 Destroy the
nervous system； and we destroy feeling。 Destroy the microscope； and
we can no longer see the animalcules； but our sight of the
animalcules is not the microscope； though it is effectuated by means
of the microscope； and our feeling is not the nervous system； though
the nervous system is the instrument that enables us to feel。
The nervous system is a device which living beings have gradually
perfectedI believe I may say quite trulythrough the will and
power which they have derived from a fountain…head； the existence of
which we can infer； but which we can never apprehend。 By the help
of this device； and in proportion as they have perfected it； living
beings feel ever with greater definiteness； and hence formulate
their feelings in thought with more and more precision。 The higher
evolution of thought has reacted on the nervous system； and the
consequent higher evolution of the nervous system has again reacted
upon thought。 These things are as power and desire； or supply and
demand； each one of which is continually outstripping； and being in
turn outstripped by the other； but； in spite of their close
connection and interaction； power is not desire； nor demand supply。
Language is a device evolved sometimes by leaps and bounds； and
sometimes exceedingly slowly； whereby we help ourselves alike to
greater ease； precision； and complexity of thought； and also to more
convenient interchange of thought among ourselves。 Thought found
rude expression； which gradually among other forms assumed that of
words。 These reacted upon thought； and thought again on them； but
thought is no more identical with words than words are with the
separate letters of which they are composed。
To sum up； then； and to conclude。 I would ask you to see the
connection between words and ideas； as in the first instance
arbitrary。 No doubt in some cases an imitation of the cry of some
bird or wild beast would suggest the name that should be attached to
it； occasionally the sound of an operation such as grinding may have
influenced the choice of the letters g； r； as the root of many words
that denote a grinding； grating； grasping； crushing； action； but I
understand that the number of words due to direct imitation is
comparatively few in number； and that they have been mainly