STUDY XIV. 



3IS 



which are moft agreeable to the young, but, from 

 the foftnefs of the downs with which it is Hned ; 

 from it's fituation, whereby it is fheltered from 

 the cold, from the rain, and from the wind ; and 

 from a multitude of other precautions, it is eafy to 

 difcern that thofe who conflruded it, collefted 

 around their brood, all the intelligence, and all the 

 benevolence, of which they were capable. The fa- 

 ther, too, fings at a little diilance from their cradle, 

 prompted rather, as I fuppofe," by the folicitudes 

 of paternal afFeâ;ion, than by thofe of conjugal 

 love ; for this laft fentiment expires, in moft, as 

 foon as the procefs of hatching begins. If we were 

 to examine, under the fame afpecfl, the fchools of. 

 the young of the human fpecies, we fhould have 

 a very indifferent idea of the afiedion of their pa- 

 rents. Rods, whips, ftripes, cries, tears, are the 

 firft leflbns given to human life : we have here and 

 there, it is true, a glimpfe of reward, amidft fo 

 many chaftifements ; but, fymbol of what awaits 

 them in Society, the pain is real, and the pleafure 

 only imaginary. 



It is worthy of being remarked that, of all the 

 fpecies of fenfible beings, the human fpecies is the 

 only one, whofe young are brought up, and in- 

 ftruded, by dint of blows. I would not wifh for 

 any other proof, of an original depravation of 

 Mankind. The European brood, in this refpeft, 



furpafles 



