188 On the Use and Abuse of 



never have enjoyed life. Instead of increasing 

 the breed of animals, he would have been com- 

 pelled to destroy them to prevent a famine. — 

 But barbarously, wantonly and deliberately, 

 to torture and destroy animal life, is equally re- 

 pugnant to humanity, duty and the best in- 

 terests 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 frequently err from the same 

 cause. They are led to consider, but too often, 

 from the connivance and even encouragement 

 of their superiors in 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 contri- 

 buting to the diversion of mankind. ' 



If the question be asked, — '' Whether all 

 sports derived from animal suffering be entitled, 

 to equal condemnation ?" The answer is de- 

 cidedly in the negative. — For, although per- 

 haps none can be completely justified, yet 

 there is still a wide difference in the degree of 

 moral and physical evil resulting from their 

 ^>ractice. That class of diversions pursued for 

 3 



