of nature, he reckons, 1. Those reptiles and infects which fwarm about dead bodies, and feed upon their fubftance; 2. Thofe animals which attach themselves to the living bodies of others, and draw their nourishinent from thence; 3. Those birds which are employed in digging up, and deftroying the reptiles and infects which live upon the furface of the earth, and upon trees and plants'; 4. Thofe which hover over the waters and feed upon fish; 5. The carnivorous race which are confined to the land, fuch as lions, tygers, wolves, bears, among the quadrupeds; eagles, vultures, cormorants, hawks, among the birds. Laftly, Man himfelf, continues our author, is to be ranked among the fpecies which exift in the animal fyftem in confequence of this inftitution. Does he not live chiefly upon fleth ? And fuppofe there are fome that are fupported by vegetables only, yet is their number equal to the others? And is the vigor, ftrength, and courage of this clafs to be placed in competition with the vigor, ftrength, and courage of those that live upon animal food? Without fuch an institution of Providence, threefourths of the human fpecies would be destitute of sustenance; 'for all the human race could not poffibly live upon the fruits of the earth. The greateft part of her productions are not fit for ufe before they have been digested, and converted into the fubftance of the animals which feed upon them. And with respect to those who live immediately upon vegetable food, there are few countries that produce it in quantities fufficient to render it the only fupport of their inhabitants. But let us fuppofe the earth to enjoy all the fertility requifite for this purpose, it could not enjoy it, especially in fome parts, but in confequence of cultivation. But this cultivation requires leifure, fkill, improvements: it requires fome acquaintance with the operations necef"fary for the production of plants: it requires the plow, the spade, the mattock; that is, a Knowledge of metals, and how to work them: it fuppofes alfo fome eftablished community, certain *forms of government, and a favourable fituation with respect to the neighbouring nations. It requires that thofe who cultivate the earth, fhould be perfuaded of protection against the injuftice of individuals, and the rapine of a foreign enemy. Where any one of thefe circumftances is wanting, it will be extremely difficult, not to fay impracticable, to establish agriculture, particularly in the colder climates, where the earth is fruitful for fome few months in the year only, and where men are obliged, in conféquence, to lay up ftore of provifions for the winter feafon. W at proof therefore can be more conclufive, that men are destinedhto feed upon the flesh of animals, and not merely upon the produce of the earth? And accordingly this intention of Providence is deeply imprinted upon the manners, appetites,

and

and customs of the greateft part of the human species. Most nations are fond of hunting, and purfue it; most regard the fleth of animals as their favourite food.'

It has been remarked, that the teeth in men are formed differently from those of the carnivorous race; and that therefore they cannot, according to the intention of nature, belong to this clafs of animals. But, fays our author in answer to this objection, they have four eye teeth, as they are termed, which is not the cafe with the animals that live entirely upon fruits. Suppofe, however, the human fpecies to be deftitute of this kind of inftrument, which is appropriated to seize, and tear the food in pieces, rather than to chew it, men do not, it is very apparent, ftand in abfolute need of fuch an invention, fince nature has furnished them with more powerful methods of producing this effect."

"

Having removed fome other objections, he proceeds to prove, that the acceffion of these new species, so far from being injurious, is both advantageous, and effentially neceffary.

This fecond proposition, he says, must be confidered, according as it relates to the two different claffes of animals which live upon flesh; for fome are carnivorous without destroying their prey; others both destroy and devour.

Our propofition is already proved with refpect to the first clafs of carnivorous animals.- -It is evident that an increase of life refults from their existence, which is no ways injurious to the other fpecies. A curfory examination of their origin, progrefs, hand employment, will immediately demonftrate, that they are created to gather the spoils of life in fome, and to preserve others in health and vigor. An animal no fooner expires, than we behold them affembled in,fwarms around the carcafe. Some feem to have sprung from the fubftance itfelf; others are allured by the vapours exhaling from it; and which are scattered by the wind; the body quickly becomes a re animated mafs; the different parts of which are afterwards difperfed, and refign in their turn the gift of life to other species, or preferve it according to their particular order and clafs.

Such is the wonderful economy of nature! Thus it is that by multiplying the fpecies, the living fubftance fuffers no di minution! Its very deftruction ferves to re-produce it! Thus does the flame of life, after it is extinguished in one class of animals, immediately re-kindle itfelf in another, and burn with fresh luftre and strength 1,

ཡིན ། ༈ ག དེའི 2 1:|:ཀ

But this is not the only advantage that refults from their existence. By confuming thefe carcafes, and that in fo fhort a time, they prevent them from infecting the air with their exhalations; and thus contribute to the life and health of all the

7

other

other animals. There is not, perhaps, a fpot upon the globe where this effect is more apparent than in the neighbourhood of Carthage in South America. The climate here is extremely warm; the air is rendered humid by violent rains; the country is fertile, and covered with immenfe forefts: all these circumstances confpire to favour putrefaction, which would, in a fhort time, render the air extremely unwholfome, was it not for a prodigious quantity of gallinazos, which nature seems to have expressly commiffioned to consume the carrion, and every kind of ordure. This bird is furnished with a large bag, or craw, under its bill, compofed of a thick, fleshy, fupple membrane, which diftends 'like leather. It is inconceivable the quantity of filth this will contain. So exquisite is the organ of fmell, that this bird will scent its prey at the distance of three or four leagues; and fuch is its voracity, that it will never leave till it has intirely confumed it. In Egypt, when the waters retire from the Nile, and the lands are covered with frogs, and numberless infects, myriads of pelicans, cranes, and other birds of prey, arrive from the red fea, and the coafts of Greece; which foon relieve the country of this fuper-abundance of life; and thus render themselves of the utmost utility to the inhabi tants. But without going so far for examples, this species of animals are feen in every country; and particularly near large cities. To them it is that we are in part indebted for the purity of the air we breathe: confiderations which ought doubtless to fecure them from every infult; and yet, in fome countries, the inhabitants not only destroy them, but think that they are removing a nuisance.'

The author goes on to fhew, that, in certain circumstances, the human race is always injured by its own increase. This notion he supports by remarks on the inhabitants of Canada, and of every nation in general where the arts and sciences are neglected. And with refpe&t to the other fpecies, he obferves, that if they were left entirely to themselves, they would all, without exception, encrease to their own prejudice as well as to that of others.

• Providence has accordingly provided for the welfare of the animal fyftem in this refpect. Her firft ftep has been to prefcribe bounds to each fpecies, which the does not permit any of its individuals to pafs. Although this term is more remote in one class of animals than another, yet we may affert that it is of small duration with regard to those who live the longest. So that, whatever care an animal may take to preserve itself, whatever vigour it may poffefs at a certain age in life, there is a term it cannot exceed, and in proportion as this approaches, we see the animal change, weaken and vanish: like thofe fires

which are kindled in the night, to burn no longer than the dawn of the morning. This firft method that Providence employs to maintain a juft equilibrium in the animal fyftem, operates powerfully upon fome particular fpecies only. There are others upon which it makes little or no impreffion; fo very extenfive and fudden is their increase! With refpect to thefe, Providence employs the inclemency of the feafons, during which they are either destroyed, or remain in a torpid state. And it is by these means alone that those terrible inundations are prevented, which muft inevitably take place, if they continued to multiply, perhaps a few weeks longer. It is also to fet bounds to their increase, while they are in the height of vigour, that Providence has introduced into the world a multitude of animals to feed upon their fubftance. And as the law of propagation in the frugivorous race, is fuperior in its effects to the law which decrees the extinction of each individual after" a certain term, Providence to counteract these effects, fo as to maintain the juft balance, has alfo fubjected them to the depredations of the carnivorous race.

. It is then clear to a demonftration, that the introduction of the carnivorous race into the animal fyftem, is by no means injurious to the other fpecies, but that, on the contrary, it is advantageous to them. For they are no more than the barriers nature has oppofed to thofe inundations of which we have been speaking. And fince, thefe barriers are abfolutely neceffary, what can be more conformable to the rules of wisdom, than to employ the living fubftance itself for this end? Thus does it aft as its own counterpoife; and the excefs of life in one species, ferves to fupply the want of it in another.

But you will object, thus to expofe one animal to the fury of another is cruel. It is cruel above all to lay mankind under the neceffity of destroying, or rendering each other miferable. The lot of animals would doubtlefs be deplorable were they endowed with reafon, like ourselves, and could they foresee at a distance the evils which threaten them; but nature has cautioufly hid thefe from their fight, by giving them inferior degrees of intelligence. And thofe of them which have fo much fagacity as to apprehend danger, are accordingly endowed with a double portion of activity and address to avoid it. They have: alfo their places of retreat. All these advantages infpire them with confidence. Monks and women confider the military, clafs as the moft unhappy of men, because placing themfelves in their fituation, they judge of it by their own timid difpofitions. Thus again, when we would judge of the state of the other fpecies, which depend upon us, we place ourselves in the fame fituation, and carrying with us all our knowledge and VOL. XXVI. July, 1768. É

fore

forefight, we conclude that they lead a miserable life.

But the

truth is, being deftined to an end different from ours, they are neither endowed with our penetration nor fenfibility. The lamb, which the wants of its mafter condemns to bleed to-day, continues nevertheless to skip about, and browze the tender herb: he is happy 'and contented to the laft. He careffes the hand armed for its deftruction; and the blow it receives comès like a thunderbolt, unexpectedly falling upon fome devoted 'head.

a

• With respect to wars, we have already obferved that nature has mitigated their horrors by intermixing with the alarms they create in the mind, the fentiments of anger and revenge, they trust for glory, that danger awakens, and that renders men fuperior to all the evils wars bring with them. But after all, if they prove the occafion of wretchedness to some, the mifery of fuch is no more according to the intention of Providence, than the pain which accompanies any operation upon the human body, is in that of the furgeon. They are no more than victims, which, after having enjoyed their portion of the sweets of life, fuffer for the general good. Things, according to the actual state of affairs, cannot be otherways. Should any one ftill doubt of this, let him reflect that the law of propagation refpecs men as well as other animals, and let him confider the effect which this law neceffarily produces. I fee no neceffity, you fay, why animals fhould devour each other, much less that men, in whatever circumftances they may be placed, fhould mutually take up arms to deftroy each other. Well then, abolish this law of nature, and revive in your imagination the, golden age of the poets. Let univerfal peace and harmony fucceed to thofe wars, which inceffantly difturb the repofe of nations; let fwords be changed into plow-fhares, and fpears into pruning-hooks: inftead of ftaining the earth with human gore, let them ferve to render it as fertile as poffible. Let ravenous beafts, forgetting their natural fiercenefs, cease to perfecute the other fpecies, and ufing their teeth to crop the grafs, let them browze in the meadows with fheep and goats. In a word, let all the animals enjoy à profound peace: let them with one accord, and in perfect fecurity, make the forefts and mountains refound with the praises of their Creator. Aye, this you fay is the flate in which the world ought to be, and in which it would have been if- Senfelefs and ftupid mortal! Ye would remove trifling evils, and you introduce the moft enormous! Ye would preferve fome ufelefs individuals, and ye destroy the whole! As each fpecies would no longer experience the obftacles proportionate to the effects of their increafe, a univerfal inundation would enfue, threatening fpeedy deftruction