20 STUDIES OF KATURË. 



abufing, for mutual deftruftion, the precious gifts 

 which Nature has beftowed, in the view of ren- 

 dering human hfe innocent and happy ? The ehn 

 and the beech, under the fliade of which our fliep- 

 herds and their mates delight to dance, are hewn 

 down into carriages, for mounting the thundering 

 ordnance. We intoxicate our foldiers into mad- 

 nefs, that they may kill each other, without hatred, 

 with that very juice of the vine which Providence 

 has given to be the means of reconciliation among 

 enemies ? The lofty fir-trees, planted by the be- 

 nignant hand of Nature, amidft the fnows of the 

 North, to flielter and warm the inhabitants, are 

 converted into mads, for the veilels of Europe, to 

 carry the flames of devouring fire againfl the peace- 

 ful inhabitants of the Southern Hemifphere ; and 

 the canvas, defigned for the humble clothing of the 

 village-maid, becomes a fail for the plundering 

 corfair, to extend his ravages to remoteft India. 

 Our crops, and our forefts, are wafted over the 

 Ocean, to fpread defolation over both the Old and 

 New Worlds. 



But let us drop the hiftory of Man, and refume 

 that of Nature. If, from the vegetable, we make 

 a"tranfition to the animal kingdom, a field of in- 

 comparably greater extent prefents itfelf. An in- 

 telligent Naturalift, at Paris, fome years ago^ an- 

 nounced, that he was in polTeflîon of more than 



thirty 



