ture is utterly destitute of any power or propensity, that can with propriety be denominated instinctive. Amid such diversity of opinions, it is difficult to decide; though it cannot be denied that infants afford very strong proofs of a natural impulse. But the inquisitive reader, who is in search of farther information, may with satisfaction peruse the late Mr. Smellie's Philosophy of Natural History, 8vo. and Dr. Reid's Essays on the Active Powers of Man; in which the subject is considered in different points of view.
INSURANCE, in law and commerce, denotes a contract by which one party engages to pay the other, for a certain premium or consideration, such losses as he may accidentally sustain. The common kinds of insurance are:
I. Against loss at sea; a most beneficial institution, eminently calculated for promoting the security of trade. It is at present conducted by a regular system of rules, under the immediate sanction of the law, the decisions of courts of justice, and the usage of merchants. There are several societies for this kind of insurance in London; but, as it would be incompatible with our limits to enter into any details, we shall point out Mr. Park's masterly System of the Law of Insurances (8vo. Butterworth, 12s. 1801); in which the subject is fully considered. A smaller work of reference, designed for the use of merchants, and relating to Insurance against Losses at Sea, has lately been published by Mr. Burn.
II. Against fire; for which purposes various offices are established in Britain: the principal of them is, probably, the Sun Fire-office. This class is divided into three species, namely:
1. Common insurances: buildings, the whole external walls of which are of brick or stone, with coverings of slate, tiles, or metals, and in which no hazardous trades are carried on, or hazardous goods are deposited. In this division are also comprised goods which are not hazardous, and which may be kept in such buildings.
2. Hazardous insurances, which include buildings covered with slate, tile, or metal, whether built of timber, plaister, timber and plaister, brick and timber; and also buildings, the external walls of which are not wholly of brick or stone, and in which no hazardous trades are carried on, or hazardous goods are deposited: and brick or stone buildings with the coverings above-mentioned, containing hazardous trades or wares.—Also goods, deposited in all timber, plaister, timber and plaister; and brick and timber buildings; hemp, flax, pitch, tar, cotton, turpentine, resin, oil, spirits, and the like, are classed among hazardous insurances, as likewise are the trades or manufactories using the last-memioned articles.
3. Doubly hazardous insurances: namely, all the buildings mentioned in the preceding section, however covered, if they be occupied by hazardous trades or goods; and all thatched buildings.
Ships, vessels, barges, and other craft, together with their cargoes; glass, china, earthen-ware, pottery, bottles, bottled liquors in trade, ornaments, shells, fossils, ores, medals, curiosities, oil of vitriol, cork, statuary, and figures in wax, plaister, and marble; are all included in this subdivision, to which
