ON SPORTS AND EXERCISES. 217 



Hon, in tha character of Zeluco. The feelings of 

 humanity became stifled in this monster's breast, from 

 an early gratification of his caprice and passion in 

 sporting with ihe torments of the animal race. It is 

 likewise our duty as well as moral advantage — to refrain 

 from all acts of wanton cruelty to the brute creation. 

 The organs of sensation in all the inferior animals, arc 

 evidently adapted for receiving and transmitting impres- 

 sions of pain and pleasure, — and although deprived of 

 speech, their groans and cries are intelligible indications 

 of their painful feelings. Nor are animals less capable 

 of expressing signs of pleasure, as well as of suffering. 

 This provision for the gratification of their several senses, 

 is a sufficient proof of the intentions of the Creator. Like 

 man, they were formed to feel and to enjoy. Here rests / 

 the foundation of their natural right to protection and 

 humane treatment from mankind. 



It cannot be inferred from this mode of reasoning, that The system of 

 animal life should in every instance be held sacred. The nature requires 

 laws of nature and necessity demand from us the painful should be des- 

 sacrifice.-i—Man must destroy life in order to live. Be- troyed; 

 sides, we must consider that if man had subsisted only on 

 vegetable food, the majority of the animal race which 

 furnish his table would never have enjoyed life. Instead 

 of increasing the breed of animals, he would have been 

 compelled to destroy them to prevent a famine. — But — but not with 

 barbarously, wantonly and deliberately, to torture and fl^Jctbrortlrl 

 destroy animal life, is eq^ually repugnant to humanity, turc. 

 duty and the best interests of mankind. Experience 

 teaches us, that the common sense and feeling of mankind, 

 condemn that man whose greatest delight seems to consist 

 in bloody and barbarous sports. — Youth, it must be 

 observed, commonly inflict pain on animals in mere sport 

 without a due knowledge of the evil they commit. And 

 . the ignorant populace frequeritly err from the same cause. 

 They are led to consider, but too often, from the conni- 

 vance and even encouragement of their superiors iti 

 knowledge and station, that the animal race are equally 

 indifferent to pleasure or pain; and only created for the 

 purpose of gratifying the appetite, or contributing to the 

 diyersion of mankind. 



If 



