patience on their part; how frequent our provocations, and how feldom their refentment; (and in fome cafes our weakness and their ftrength, our flowness and their fwiftnefs), one would be almost tempted to suppose, (reason to both alike allowed,) that the brutes had combined in one general scheme of benevolence to teach Mankind leffons of Mercy, and Meekness, by their own forbearance and longfuffering. But grant that there are fome fierce and formidable animals that are ftrangers to pity and compaffion. Does this justify the fuppreffion of these amiable difpofitions in men? Because a Wolf will feize upon a man; Is a man therefore warranted to whip a Pig to death? Or, Because a Serpent pent will bite a man by the heel; Is a man to tread upon every harmless Earthworm he fees wriggling upon the ground? No. If fome offenfive creatures do fometimes unprovokedly moleft us, let it be accounted but as a retaliation of the injuries we offer to thofe that are inoffenfive; (and thus even the dreadful hornet may be confidered but as the avenger of the sufferings of the feeble fly;) for Cruelty and Cowardice are * near of kin ; and we exert our power mostly upon thofe creatures who can neither do us an injury, nor return an injury done. But fuppofe we happen to meet with noxious * Cowards are cruel; but the brave GAY. animals, animals; Let us prudently get out of their path. But what if I cannot avoid them? Why, Then it is time enough to put myself in a posture of defence; and for my own preservation, I think it no more crime to defend myself from the beast or ferpent, than from a villanous man that fhould attack my person: and if, in the fray, I kill the beast, I cannot charge myself with malice or any intentional cruelty, provided I dispatch him as inftantaneously as poffible. If a wasp or a hornet comes into my room, I dread his weapon; but I hate him not: he is a beautiful infect; and I make no doubt was created for fome ufeful purpose. I am forry I am neceffitated to kill him; but I will not clip him in pieces with my fciffors, if I can crufh him under my foot: but if I cannot mafter him, unless I clip him; having fo done; I dare not leave him in the pain of a lingering death for many hours together, but I finish the mortal work with all expedition. And in this, I hope, there is no cruelty; for cruelty in this cafe confifts in the unneceffary infliction and continuation of pain, and not in putting the creature to inftant death, which is the period of all pain. Self-preservation therefore (whether as in the former cafe for the Support of nature in the article of food; or in the present cafe for the avoidance of pain and deftruction from the attacks of ob noxious noxious animals) though it may justify a man in putting a brute to instant death, yet cannot war→ rant the leaft act of cruelty to any creature, however ferocious or favage it may be; much less can it justify the hunting out for fport and destruction creatures of the tamer kind, whose inability to defend themselves, whofe harmless nature, and whofe panting fears rather demand all our compaffion, and even our protection and attention. Thirdly; It is alledged, that there are fome Brutes of prey which wholly fubfift on the flesh of other brutes, and whofe lives are one continued courfe of rapine and bloodshed. |