THE MUSK. 59 



indeed, venison is esteemed a luxury. How happy a circumstance 

 is it, therefore, to the inhabitants of the countries beyond the 

 arctic polar circle, that the all-bountiful Creator has furnished 

 them with so useful an appendage to human existence, in these 

 rigid climates, as the rein-deer, which, after having, during its 

 life, so essentially contributed to their comfort, affords them after 

 its death so excellent a repast. We have expatiated somewhat 

 more largely on this article, as it exhibits so conspicuous an in- 

 stance of the diffusive bounty of the Author of Nature, in thus 

 providing for the subsistence of all his creatures, in every coun- 

 try, and under every climate ; counterbalancing evil with good, 

 in more equal proportion, and disseminating his blessings by a 

 more impartial distribution, than we should, on a superficial view, 

 be inclined to imagine. 



CHAPTER X. 



" And lives the man, whose universal eye 



Has swept at once the unbounded scene of things ; 



Mark'd their dependence so, and firm accord, 



As with unfaltering accent to conclude, 



That tl j availeth nought ?" 



THE curious and singular animals, which are made the sub- 

 ject of this chapter, are so imperfectly known to naturalists, 

 and their distinguishing characteristics are so mixed and dubious, 

 that it has not yet been determined in what class of quadrupeds 

 their place ought to be assigned. 



THE MUSK, 



Which is an animal, interesting both in the view of Nature and 

 the history of commerce, is found in the kingdom of Tibet, in 

 some of the Chinese provinces, in the vicinity of the lake Baikal, 

 and near the rivers Jenesea and Argun, from the 60th to the 

 45th degree of latitude, although seldom so far south, unless 

 when heavy falls of snow prevent it from procuring food in the 

 more northern climates. It has no horns, and whether it be a 

 ruminating animal is uncertain : it is about two feet high at the 

 shoulders ; but its hind-legs are longer than the fore-legs, and it 

 resembles the roebuck in form. Its length is about three feet 

 from the head to the tail, which latter is not above an inch long. 

 Its colour is a rusty brown on the body, but under the belly it is 

 white. Upon the whole, it seems chiefly to have an affinity to the 

 deer kind. 



This animal is principally remarkable for the perfume it pro- 



