73 

 THE ART OF LIVING IN HARMONY. 



BY O. S. ROUND, ESQ. 



As we walk over Waterloo Bridge, or perhaps traverse Trafalgar Square, 

 we see a square wire cage, with a little crowd, chiefly of boys and women 

 before it, whilst a kind of keeper, in a brown velveteen jacket with a 

 small stick, stands at the side in attendance, and upon a small piece of 

 board is written, in legible characters, "The United Happy Family;" and 

 certainly they are united in a very small space, and appear to be happy. 

 Most of my readers know, and have seen this curious assemblage of ani- 

 mals, usually considered to be most antagonistic in nature to each other, 

 and we naturally wonder how it is that cats and mice, hawks and sparrows, 

 in short, predaceous animals and their prey should be inclosed in the same 

 den, and not fulfil their nature by devouring each other. So, however, it 

 is, and without inquiring into the precise mode employed to bring about 

 so unexpected a consequence, we answer, briefly, that it is the effect of 

 education. It has been made a question how the word "natural" should 

 be understood, some insisting that it is that state in which we and all 

 animals are born — without education; whilst others argue that it is that 

 condition which the animal nature is capable of. Without taking either 

 side of this dispute, it may be safely asserted that whatever capabilities have 

 been implanted in us by the Almighty, were intended to be used, and not 

 only so, but improved to the utmost extent to which those capabilities can 

 be carried. 



It has been found by experience that the faculties of both reasonable 

 and unreasonable creatures can receive, retain, and turn to account certain 

 things communicated to them either by speech or exhibition, and imitate, 

 or even surpass, the acquirements of their teachers; and not only are these 

 the media of imparting knowledge, but the very sensations, instincts, and 

 propensities, which are implanted in them, are also enlisted in this service, 

 and made likewise engines, the one subverting the other. In the instance 

 which I put by way of illustration at the commencement of this paper, 

 this subversion is fully exemplified; for although it may be said, and pro- 

 bably with great truth, that dogs do not worry cats by nature, yet it 

 cannot be denied that small birds are the natural prey of hawks and owls, 

 and rats and mice of cats, as much as rabbits and hares are the objects 

 of pursuit of dogs, and yet in the instance referred to, all these are found 

 in one cage. 



Boys (those troublesome members of the community) generally take good 

 care that dogs shall not want the propensity to worry the feline race, and 

 most disgusting and cruel instances have I seen of this; but thanks to 

 Christian legislation, there have been found those who have protected poor 



VOL. VIII. l 



