''793 account of Jheep found in Rufsia, 4,3 



mode of life, details wnich, ttiough fafguing to some 

 reader?, will be highly useful and acceptable to those 

 who are in search of information on the natural histo- 

 ry of the animal ; and more particularly to tlie socie- 

 ty whose patriotic endeavours are directed to a sub- 

 ject of so much national importance. 



I make no doubt, but your plodding men of ha- 

 bit, w'll sneer at such a research, as they do at every 

 thing they do not comprehend, or which militates a- 

 gainst the practice of their fathers ; but I will ven- 

 ture to -ffirm, that it is a much easier taflc to change 

 the fleece of (beep, than the morals, manners, and 

 even nature of the human species, to fit them for the 

 enjoyment of metaphysical primitive liberty, be ore 

 the cornmencement of social compaft, which modern 

 philosophers are persuading us of the practicability of. 

 But as philosophers are not in general the most onu- 

 lent members of civil society, there is some danger 

 that they wifh to fifli in troubled water, when the 

 sovereigns they are setting up, have thrown all into 

 anarchy and confusion. 



To return to the more uesful animal which is the 

 subject of this paper, permit me to say that as ex- 

 ample is better than precept, I have endeavoured to 

 set one to our countrymen living abroad, by collect- 

 ing every thing that my situation will permit, confin- 

 ed as T am by duty to the capital of an empire, relative 

 to the flieep of this country ; and I make no doubt but 

 you will give me credit for having had recourse to 

 tht ample information collected by my learned friend 

 Dr Pallas, in his wide extended travels in this em- 

 pire, and amongst the pastoral nations of Great Tar, 



