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Moral Sense

Contemporary R. Oct. 72 p. 744 Dr. Carpenter remarks "The sense of obligation to a visible Power is clearly foundation of Conscience" I think Hensleigh takes nearly same view - Carp. goes on about Dogs & Horses. Now when I speak of social instinct, I clearly ought to have said this includes parental & filial affections & relations, for these seem indeed to be foundation origin of the social instincts. The filial relation & respect are of paramount importance, as they lead the child to obey its parents or guardian & teacher & this I presume depends on the love of their approbation & dislike of disapprobation, often combined with fear of punishment. Hence (This is the foundation of the sense of obligation) Analogous feelings [illeg] to the chief of tribe & to God or the Gods or Spirits. But I do not believe that the strong tendency to rescue a fellow-creature, to be faithful to the tribe, to be depends on what is taught in childhood, or by no means exclusively. These arise from social instincts.

[illeg] & other Dog & God.

I have often felt Convinced & sometimes detected when my

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dog has done something which he knew he ought not to have done . Her moaning showed she was ashamed of herself & even more plainly a wish for reconcilement unction & forgiveness for the unknown [illeg] There may & probably was a mixture of fear in her feelings, but as I have said ashamed was the proper term. When patted & or caressed & told all was right again, she wd recover her natural manners.

In as much as fear of God & of parents or guardians comes partly into play with the feelings of a child who has transgressed, the state of Dog is closely analogous, especially as the strong desire by child & dog for reconciliation & forgiveness, when the mind is at once more light & free

Oct 16 /72/