Intelligence in Plants and Animals: Being a New Edition of the Author's Privately Issued "Soul and Immortality."

In Short

Thomas George Gentry presents an expansive study of natural history designed to elevate the moral and spiritual status of non-human life. By systematically examining the behaviors, instincts, and problem-solving capacities of organisms ranging from carnivorous plants to domestic animals, the book constructs a comprehensive defense of non-human intelligence. Gentry argues that mental and emotional faculties in the lower orders of life are not mere mechanical instincts, but true reflections of a universal divine intellect. Because all life shares a single spiritual origin, the author contends that the souls of animals and plants are destined to endure alongside humanity in an eternal afterlife, urging readers toward a universal ethic of compassion.

The Story

The work begins by establishing a natural foundation for human spiritual progress, arguing that humanity must understand the physical world to comprehend the divine scheme. Gentry asserts that the natural realm provides the raw material from which spiritual life is elaborated. The narrative of nature unfolds through a detailed examination of plant behavior, focusing on species that display uncanny, animal-like traits. The carnivorous sundew, for instance, uses viscid secretions to trap insects, deriving essential nitrogen from its prey to flourish in impoverished soil. These plants exhibit a remarkable degree of physical sensitivity, actively bending their tentacles toward food while ignoring inert mineral substances.

Moving from plant life to the lower invertebrates, the argument traces signs of agency and purpose in the humblest creatures. Earthworms emerge from their subterranean burrows following heavy rains, navigating gravel paths and carefully lining their holes with leaves to seal out the damp cold. Along the Atlantic coast, male fiddler crabs construct elaborate homes, retreat underground to endure the winter, and engage in fierce, prolonged battles for the affection of passive female spectators. The seventeen-year cicada demonstrates extraordinary patience and physical adaptation, surviving for years underground on the juices of plant roots before taking to the air. Among moths, the female Luna moth displays profound maternal foresight, laying her eggs precisely where her offspring will find food, even though she lacks the mouthparts to feed herself and dies shortly after fulfilling her reproductive role.

The study advances up the evolutionary ladder to examine higher animals, highlighting instances where behavior clearly transcends basic survival. Frogs patiently stalk their prey in cool shadows, using sticky tongues to catch insects, while land turtles demonstrate deliberate, calculated decision-making when navigating steep ravines. Birds exhibit complex strategies for self-preservation and social organization. Quail huddle shoulder-to-shoulder in tight circles to survive freezing winter nights, while turkey vultures utilize a combination of keen sight and acute smell to locate decaying food, showing no fear when feeding alongside domestic dogs. Among birds of prey, small owls form unusual, harmonious cohabitations with tree squirrels, mirroring the peaceful coexistence seen between burrowing owls and prairie dogs on the Western plains.

In its final chapters, the text directly addresses the emotional and intellectual capacity of mammals, pointing to their mastery of human speech, capacity for humor, and shared moral traits such as pride, jealousy, and self-sacrificing love. A domesticated dog instinctively comprehends complex spoken commands, managing livestock and investigating disturbances without needing repeated instruction. Captive monkeys demonstrate remarkable problem-solving ingenuity when attempting to unlock their cages or untie their bonds, exhibiting patience that rivals human escape artists. Gentry weaves these empirical observations together with evolutionary theory and Christian theology. He concludes that natural selection drives the continuous improvement of the mind, and because all life shares a divine origin, every conscious creature—from the humblest plant to the highest mammal—will participate in the ultimate redemption and carry its individual intelligence into the eternal life to come.

How It Unfolds

The raw material of the spirit The investigation opens by placing human intellectual and moral development firmly within the framework of the physical world. Gentry asserts that understanding natural phenomena is the essential first step toward comprehending divine intention, establishing nature as the foundation of all spiritual truth.

Vegetable consciousness The focus shifts to the mysterious behaviors of the plant kingdom, particularly carnivorous species like the sundew. By examining how these plants actively capture insects, digest animal tissue, and react to external stimuli, the text demonstrates that sensitivity and purposeful movement extend into plant life.

Subterranean architects and marine battles Moving into the invertebrate world, the book highlights the purposeful habits of earthworms, cicadas, and fiddler crabs. These small creatures construct specialized burrows, adapt to severe seasonal changes, and engage in complex social rivalries that reveal a surprising degree of individual agency.

Calculated survival in cold-blooded life The survey expands to amphibians and reptiles, detailing how frogs, turtles, and tortoises navigate their environments. Observations of turtles calculating the risks of descending steep ravines illustrate that even cold-blooded animals rely on deliberate foresight rather than blind instinct.

Avian strategies and communal ties The narrative turns to the habits of birds, exploring the cooperative roosting of quail, the scavenging instincts of vultures, and the unusual nesting arrangements between owls and small mammals. These behaviors demonstrate advanced sensory capabilities, social structure, and adaptive intelligence.

The shared emotional domain Focusing on mammals, the text documents instances of animals comprehending human language, displaying humor, and exhibiting deep emotional bonds. Domesticated dogs and captive primates showcase problem-solving capabilities, loyalty, and self-sacrifice that mirror human psychological traits.

An eternal continuity The book concludes by synthesizing scientific theories of adaptation with biblical promises of redemption. Gentry maintains that because all mind originates from a single divine source, animal and plant intelligence will survive bodily death, enduring eternally within a harmonious, multi-tiered heaven.

The People

• Thomas George Gentry

The author and guiding voice of the text, Gentry acts as an earnest naturalist and theologian. He seeks to bridge the gap between empirical biological observation and religious faith, driven by a desire to prove that all living things possess immortal souls. His observations are marked by deep empathy for animals and a firm belief in ongoing spiritual evolution.

• The Sundew (Drosera)

Examined as a key subject in the plant world, the carnivorous sundew demonstrates how vegetation can exhibit animal-like feeding habits. By using viscid tentacles to capture insects for vital nitrogen, it stands as Gentry's primary example of active, conscious adaptation in plant life.

• The Fiddler Crab (Gelasimus)

Representing the lower marine animals, the male fiddler crab illustrates intense territorial and social drives. Armed with a single massive claw, it fights long, dangerous battles against rivals to secure a mate and defends its elaborate subterranean burrow against seasonal extremes.

• Jack the Monkey

A captive primate whose actions are highlighted to demonstrate high-level problem-solving and distinct personality. Jack exhibits intense loyalty toward his master, vocal disdain for strangers, and a methodical ability to analyze the weak points of his cage and bindings to free himself.

• Lion the Farm Dog

A large black dog belonging to the author's grandfather, Lion serves as a prime example of canine language comprehension. He routinely executes complex verbal orders without needing physical guidance, independently opening pasture gates, managing stubborn cattle, and reporting farmyard disturbances.

In Its Own Voice

"Out of the animal, in the scheme of Deity, the spiritual system of things is to be elaborated, and not the animal out of the spiritual."

Gentry introduces his central premise that the physical, natural world serves as the essential foundational material for all higher spiritual development.

"There are many human beings that would not have been half so sensible as Jack, but still we must believe that such high intelligence, comparatively speaking, must inevitably perish with the body... returns to the Source of all intelligence, not to be re-absorbed, but, as I think, to continue as a separate intelligence..."

Reflecting on the cleverness of a captive monkey, the author argues that animal intellect is a discrete spark of divine light that must endure after physical death.

"Instead of isolating ourselves then from the humbler creatures of God’s workmanship, let us recognize them as our kin and include them in the grand scheme of redemption..."

In his final appeal, Gentry urges humanity to abandon its sense of superiority and embrace all living organisms as fellow participants in eternal life.

What It's Really About

Beneath its detailed descriptions of animal habits and plant anatomy, the book is a passionate argument against human exceptionalism. Gentry challenges the rigid Cartesian view that animals are mere natural automatons, arguing instead that mind, emotion, and soul exist on a continuous spectrum across all living forms. By linking Charles Darwin's theories of adaptation and natural selection with traditional Christian theology, the text attempts to synthesize science and religion into a unified worldview.

The core argument rests on the premise that God would not create complex, feeling, and problem-solving beings only to condemn them to total annihilation at death. Mental traits such as parental devotion, jealousy, grief, and ingenuity are presented not as temporary biological survival mechanisms, but as immutable spiritual attributes. Ultimately, the work asks readers to re-evaluate their moral obligation toward the natural world, asserting that true human enlightenment requires recognizing the shared, immortal kinship binding all living creatures together.

Why Read It Today

This work offers a fascinating window into late nineteenth-century natural history, capturing a moment when naturalists were wrestling with the profound implications of evolutionary theory. Readers interested in the history of science, early animal psychology, and Victorian eco-theology will appreciate Gentry’s meticulous field observations and unyielding enthusiasm for his subjects. His detailed accounts of regional American wildlife—from the nest-building strategies of leaf-cutter bees to the winter survival tactics of coveyed quail—carry a vivid, localized charm that appeals to modern lovers of nature writing.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the book's distinctly period-bound perspective. Gentry freely attributes human moral categories like pride, revenge, and courtly etiquette to wild animals, a habit of anthropomorphism that contemporary scientific literature has long since discarded. Furthermore, the prose reflects the expansive, highly elevated style of its era, often combining rigorous botanical descriptions with sudden turns into sermonizing theology. Despite these dated stylistic elements, the text remains deeply engaging due to its profound gentleness. Gentry's overwhelming compassion for living things and his vision of a universe where no creature is forgotten render the book an enduring, comforting reflection on humanity's place within the living world.