I don't know which definition of "instinct" Dickens meant here:
"'Open the window,' said the sick man.
He did so. The noise of carriages and carts, the rattle of
wheels, the cries of men and boys, all the busy sounds of a mighty
multitude instinct with life and occupation, blended into one
deep murmur, floated into the room. Above the hoarse loud
hum, arose, from time to time, a boisterous laugh; or a scrap of
some jingling song, shouted forth, by one of the giddy crowd,
would strike upon the ear, for an instant, and then be lost amidst
the roar of voices and the tramp of footsteps; the breaking of the
billows of the restless sea of life, that rolled heavily on, without.
These are melancholy sounds to a quiet listener at any time; but
how melancholy to the watcher by the bed of death!"
Instinct \In"stinct\, n. [L. instinctus instigation, impulse,
fr. instinguere to instigate: cf. F. instinct. See
Instinct, a.]
1. Natural inward impulse; unconscious, involuntary, or
unreasoning prompting to any mode of action, whether
bodily, or mental, without a distinct apprehension of the
end or object to be accomplished.
An instinct is a propensity prior to experience, and
independent of instructions. --Paley.
An instinct is a blind tendency to some mode of
action, independent of any consideration, on the
part of the agent, of the end to which the action
leads. --Whately.
An instinct is an agent which performs blindly and
ignorantly a work of intelligence and knowledge.
--Sir W.
Hamilton.
By a divine instinct, men's minds mistrust Ensuing
dangers. --Shak.
2. (Zo["o]l.) Specif., the natural, unreasoning, impulse by
which an animal is guided to the performance of any
action, without of improvement in the method.
The resemblance between what originally was a habit,
and an instinct becomes so close as not to be
distinguished. --Darwin.
3. A natural aptitude or knack; a predilection; as, an
instinct for order; to be modest by instinct.
Instinct \In*stinct"\, v. t.
To impress, as an animating power, or instinct. [Obs.]
--Bentley.
OP
