THE DOG TRIBE. 197 



intend to touch lightly upon the virtues and vices of dogs in general, 

 and to look at them in their state of nature on one hand, whilst, on 

 the other, I consider them as obedient slaves under the iron rule of 

 man ; but in both positions, I absolutely deny to all dogs the 

 faculty of reasoning reason is due to man alone. Yes, man alone 

 exerts it, and he alone is entitled to it. It is indeed his just pre- 

 rogative, instilled into him by the hand of Omnipotence at the time 

 of his creation in Paradise ; and the exercise of it constitutes him 

 by pre-eminence the lord of this our magnificent planet. It is the 

 exercise of reason which elevates him above all created beings, and 

 it is the want of it that places every other animal infinitely below 

 him. I prove it as follows : 



Take a dog, for example. Teach him everything that you wish 

 him to learn, and gain his affection by the most unbounded kindness 

 on your part, so that the animal will make every attempt to be your 

 constant companion, and in case of attack will defend you to the 

 utmost of his power. Now, supposing that this favourite dog re- 

 ceives a bad wound, and that he comes up to you with his wound 

 bleeding apace. You attend to it ; you rectify it ; you put a plaster on 

 it, and then you turn him loose. If the dog were endowed with reason, 

 he would value the plaster ; and knowing that it was for his good, he 

 would do all in his power to keep it in its right place, just as you and 

 I would do. But no reason is not within him. The wound gives 

 him pain ; the plaster presses it too much ; and immediately the 

 dog, with his teeth and feet, tears all asunder, making bad worse. 

 The more the wound torments him, the more he will strive to get 

 quit of the plaster. He has no conception whatever, that the plaster 

 has been put upon his wound by a kind master, in order to effect a 

 cure. He cannot contemplate a cure. He will bite the injured 

 part so soon as it begins to itch ; and if the itching should continue, 

 he will tear all up, unless the master should prevent him. There is 

 no denying this. It is the case with all irrational animals, from the 

 mouse to the mastodon ; and it proves incontestibly that the dog, 

 although more susceptible of education in certain matters from the 

 hand of man than all other animals put together, the elephant not 

 excepted, still is far, far removed from the rank of a rational being. 

 The dog, although particularly gifted by nature with a disposition 



