it empty, and that the Absence of that thing, has occasion’d this Privation of Sense and Cessation of Motion, which happen’d to the Body.”  Now when he perceiv’d that the Being which had inhabited there before, had left its House before it fell to Ruine, and forsaken it when as yet it continu’d whole and entire, he concluded that it was highly probable that it would never return to it any more, after its being so cut and mangled.

Sec. 22.  Upon this the whole Body seem’d to him a very inconsiderable thing, and worth nothing in respect of that Being, he believed once inhabited, and now had left it.  Therefore he applied himself wholly to the consideration of that Being. What it was? and how it subsisted? what joyn’d it to the Body?  Whether it went, and by what passage, when it left the Body?  What was the Cause of its Departure, whether it were forc’d to leave its Mansion, or left the Body of its own accord? and in case it went away Voluntarily, what it was that rendred the Body so disagreeable to it, as to make it forsake it? And whilst his Mind was perplext with such variety of Thoughts, he laid aside all concern for the Carcass, and threw it away; for now he perceiv’d that his Mother, which had Nurs’d him so Tenderly and had Suckled him, was that something which was departed:  and from it proceeded all those Actions by which she shew’d her Care of him, and Affection, to him, and not from this unactive Body; but that the Body was to it only as an Instrument or Tool, like his Cudgel which he had made for himself, with which he used to Fight with the Wild Beasts.  So that now, all his regard to the Body was remov’d, and transferr’d to that by which the Body is governed, and by whose Power it moves.  Nor had he any other desire but to make enquiry after that.

Sec. 23.  In the mean, time the Carcass of the Roe began to putrifie, and emit Noisome Vapours, which still increas’d his aversion to it, so that he did not care to see it.  ’Twas not long after that he chanc’d to see two Ravens engag’d so furiously; that one of them struck down the other Stark Dead; and when he had done, he began to scrape with his Claws till he had digg’d a Pit, in which he Buried the Carcass of his Adversary.  Our Philosopher observing this, said to himself, How well has this Raven done in Burying the Body of his Companion, tho’ he did ill in Killing him?  How much greater reason was there for me to have been forward in performing this Office to my Mother? Upon this he makes a Grave, and lays his Mother into it, and Buries her.  He proceeded in his Enquiry concerning what that should be by which the Body was govern’d, but could not Apprehend what it was; when he look’d upon the rest of the Roes, and perceiv’d that they were of the same form and figure with his Mother, he believ’d that there was in every one of them something which govern’d and actuated them, like that which had actuated and govern’d his Mother:  formerly:  and