N°. 61.

May 21, 1713.

Primoque a caede ferarum

Incaluiffe putem maculatum fanguine ferrum. OVID.

I

Cannot think it extravagant to imagine, that

mankind are no lefs, in proportion, accountable for the ill ufe of their dominion over creatures of the lower rank of beings, than for the exercise of tyranny over their own Species. The more entirely the inferior creation is submitted to our power, the more answerable we should feem for our mismanagement of it; and the rather, as the very condition of nature renders these creatures incapable of receiving any recompence in another life for their ill treatment in this.

'Tis obfervable of thofe noxious animals, which have qualities most powerful to injure us, that they naturally avoid mankind, and never hurt us unless provoked, or neceffitated by hunger. Man, on the other hand, feeks out and purfues even the moft inoffenfive animals, on purpofe to perfecute and deftroy them.

Montaigne thinks it some reflection upon human nature itself, that few people take delight in

feeing beasts carefs or play together, but almost every one is pleased to see them lacerate and worry one another. I am forry this temper is become almost a distinguishing character of our own nation, from the obfervation which is made by foreigners of our beloved Paftimes, Bear-baiting, Cock fighting, and the like. We fhould find it hard to vindicate the deftroying of any thing that has life, meerly out of wantonnefs; yet in this principle our children are bred up, and one of the first pleasures we allow them, is the licence of inflicting pain upon poor animals: almoft as foon as we are fenfible what life is ourselves, we make it our sport to take it from other creatures. I cannot but believe a very good use might be made of the fancy which children have for birds and infects. Mr. Locke takes notice of a mother who permitted them to her children, but rewarded or punished them as they treated them well or ill. This was no other than entering them betimes into a daily exercife of humanity, and improving their very diverfion to a virtue.

I fancy too fome advantage might be taken of the common notion, that 'tis ominous or unlucky, to deftroy fome forts of birds, as Swallows and Martins. This opinion might poffibly arife from the confidence thefe birds feem to put in us by building under our roofs, fo that it is a kind of violation of the laws of hofpitality to murder them. As for Robin-red-breafts VOL. VII. R

in particular, 'tis not improbable they owe their fecurity to the old ballad of The Children in the Wood. However it be, I don't know, I fay, why this prejudice, well improved and carried as far as it would go, might not be made to conduce to the prefervation of many innocent creatures, which are now expofed to all the wantonnefs of an ignorant barbarity.

There are other animals that have the misfortune, for no manner of reason, to be treated as common enemies where ever found. The conceit that a Cat has nine lives has coft at least nine lives in ten of the whole race of them: scarce a boy in the ftreets but has in this point outdone Hercules himfelf, who was famous for killing a monster that had but three lives. Whether the unaccountable animofity against this useful domestick may be any cause of the general perfecution of Owls (who are a fort of feather'd cats) or whether it be only an unreasonable pique the moderns have taken to a serious countenance, I fhall not determine. Tho' I am inclined to believe the former; fince I obferve the fole reafon alledged for the deftruction of Frogs is because they are like Toads. Yet amidst all the misfortunes of these unfriended creatures, 'tis fome happiness that we have not yet taken a fancy to eat them: for fhould our countrymen refine upon the French never fo little, 'tis not to be conceived to what unheard

of torments, owls, cats, and frogs may be yet referved.

When we grow up to men, we have another fucceffion of Sanguinary sports; in particular hunting. I dare not attack a diverfion which has such authority and custom to fupport it; but must have leave to be of opinion, that the agitation of that exercise, with the example and number of the chafers, not a little contribute to refift those checks, which compaffion would naturally fuggeft in behalf of the animal pursued. Nor fhall I fay with Monfieur Fleury, that this sport is a remain of the Gothic barbarity; but I must animadvert upon a certain custom yet in ufe with us, and barbarous enough to be derived from the Goths, or even the Scythians: I mean that favage compliment our huntsmen pass upon Ladies of quality, who are present at the death of a Stag, when they put the knife in their hands to cut the throat of a helpless, trembling and weeping crea

ture.

Quefiuque cruentus,

Atque Imploranti fimilis.

But if our fports are deftructive, our gluttony is, more fo, and in a more inhuman manner. Lobsters. roafted alive, Pigs whipp'd to death, Fowls fewed. up, are teftimonies of our outragious luxury. Thofe,

who (as Seneca expreffes it) divide their lives betwixt an anxious confcience, and a naufeated ftomach, have a juft reward of their gluttony in the difeafes it brings with it: for human favages, like other wild beafts, find fnares and poifon in the provifions of life, and are allured by their appetite to their deftruction. I know nothing more fhocking, or horrid, than the profpect of one of their kitchens covered with blood, and filled with the cries of the creatures expiring in tortures. It gives one an image of a Giant's den in a romance beftrew'd with the scattered heads and mangled limbs of those who were flain by his cruelty.

The excellent Plutarch (who has more strokes of good nature in his writings than I remember in any author) cites a faying of Cato to this effect: "That "'tis no eafy task to preach to the belly which has 66. no ears. Yet if (fays he) we are afhamed to be fo "out of fashion as not to offend, let us, at least, of"fend with fome difcretion and measure. If we kill "an animal for our provifion, let us do it with the "meltings of compaffion, and without tormenting it. "Let us confider, that 'tis in its own nature cruelty "to put a living creature to death; we at least de"ftroy a foul that has fenfe and perception." In the life of Cato the Cenfor, he takes occafion from the fevere difpofition of that man to discourse in this manner: " It ought to be efteemed a happiness to