Influence of the Human Mind upon Brutes, 179 



^ith various other quadrupeds ; according to the habits, the taste, 

 or the caprice of different nations. But every where it is the dog 

 only, which takes delight in associating with us, in sharing our 

 ftbode, and is even jealous that our attention should be bestowed on 

 him alone : it is he who knows us personally, watches for us and 

 warns us of danger. It is impossible for the naturalist, when 

 taking a survey of the whole animal creation, not to feel a convic- 

 tion that the friendship between two creatures so different from 

 each other, must be the result of the laws of Nature; nor can the 

 humane and feeling mind, avoid the belief that kindness to those 

 animals from which he derives continued and essential assistance, 

 is part of his moral duty. To me, during my travels, the horse 

 and the ox were scarcely less the objects of my admiratiofi and 

 gratitude; and his patient performance of his unceasing and daily 

 labours, strongly attached the latter to me." * 



It may be inferred from these observations of Mr. Burchell, 

 that the conduct of these animals, which he so beautifully eulo- 

 gizes, must be the result of a perception effected by the society 

 and influence of Man; not by an engagement rational in its 

 nature, as regards the animals, but agreeably to certain laws which 

 render inferior beings instrumental to human intentions : thus the 

 Ox, in like manner, whose utility this gentleman also alludes to, 

 is capable of acting, under certain limitations, by intuition from 

 human reason, and submits himself to the yoke with patient pen- 

 severance. 



If, indeed, brutes carried on their intercourse with man by a 

 really rational perception of things, it is presumable they would 

 possess an articulate language : otherwise we must suppose them 

 undergoing a perpetual and painful distraction, and condemned to 

 a silence which they are gifted with the ability to appreciate, and 

 therefore to deplore. Creatures so circumstanced, capable of 

 thought, the same in kind with human thought, and at the 

 «ame time destitute of speech ; created with rational powers, 

 and yet deprived of the necessary external organs for making 

 use of them, would, like Eagles without wings, be but half 

 formed beings, left to grovel on the earth when they should soar 

 • BurcheU's Travels in Africa. Vol. H. p. 244 et seq. 

 m2 



