78 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



vinely infpired, to be perfecflly adapted to the 

 happinefs of Man, and to Laws antecedently 

 enaded by the Author of Nature. From this 

 want of correfpondence, all falfe religions may be 

 deteded. And as to the point in queftion, the 

 Law of Mofes, from it's privations, was evidently 

 intended to be the Law of a particular People ; 

 whereas that of the Gofpel, from it's univerfality, 

 muft have been intended for the whole Human 

 Race. 



Paganifm, Judaifm, Mahometanifm, have all 

 prohibited the ufe of certain fpecies of animal 

 food ; fo that if one of thofe religions fhould be- 

 come univerfal, it would produce either total de- 

 flru6lion, or unbounded multiplication ; each of 

 which evidently would violate the plan of the 

 Creation. The Jews and Turks proicribe pork ; 

 the Indians of the Ganges reverence the heifer and 

 the peacock. There is not an animal exifting 

 which would not ferve as a Feticha to fome Negro, 

 or as a Manitou to fome Savage. The Chriftian 

 Religion alone permits the neceffary ufe of all ani- 

 mals ; and prefcribes abftinence from thofe of the 

 Land, only at the feafon when they are procreating, 

 and when thofe of the Sea abound on the fliores, 

 early in the Spring *. 



* Is it poflible to abftain from fmiling ? No, the prejudices 

 of education, in a good man, excite a ferious emotion, in a be- 

 nevolent 



