jc Oil animal instinct, Alarch 7. 



animals maj be tamed ; many may be domesticated, 

 so as to depend upon man for iheir subsistence; al- 

 most all animals may be brought by means of hun- 

 ger, to look up to nian for their food,, and to yield to 

 iiim a certain kind of obedience, from this over- 

 jpowering compulsitor ; but the dog is the only ani- 

 xaal that delights in the society of man above that of 

 its own species ; the only animal that attaches itself 

 to him through choice, who takes pleasure jn his 

 smiles, who seems evea to participate in his grief, 

 and who, with unexampled fidelity, becomes his com- 

 panion in adversity, and prosperity, nor ever deserts 

 him on any occasion. No wonder if an attachment 

 so strong, so uniform, and so lively, fliould beget a 

 sort of reciprocal regard ; and that man, on so many 

 occasions, fliould discover such a marked fondnefs 

 for this faithful domestic I Who can blame the poor 

 old man, who, when receiving a pittance of alms for 

 himself, petitioned for a small matter more for his dog; 

 and though it v/as natural enough for the person who 

 ■was bestowing the bounty, to desire the man to put 

 away his dog, yet when the powerful appeal was 

 naade to his feelings, " I Jball then have no creature 

 on earth that regards />;f," we applaud tlie benefi- 

 cence which induced him to continue the pension to 

 the faithful dog, as long as his unfortunate owaer li- 

 ved. 



This attachment of the dog to man, were it only 

 observed to take place where he had no accefs to 

 others of its own kind, might be resolved into the 

 gregarious principle, which in some clafses of animals 

 is very strong. Among horses, cattle, and most of 



