290 ANTINET METAPHYSICS. , Book IV. 



piece of work ; and tliefe orders he underftands, partly by figns, or 

 by words, which he has been accuflomed to hear, as applied to par- 

 ticular works. And' if the work is of great exertion, they promife 

 him a certain quantity of fpirits, as a reward for his labour : For the 

 Indians uuderftand diftillation as well as we do, and 1 believe had 

 the pradlice of it before us, as well as of many other arts. But 

 they make a much better ufe of fpirits than we do ; for they do not 

 drink them, nor indeed any other flrong liquors, but give them to 

 their elephants, to encourage them to work ; and if they promife 

 them to an elephant, and do not give them, they are in great hazard 

 from his refentment. 



And thus I think it may be faid, that the elephant has fome de- 

 gree of intelligence, which enables him to perform the duty of a 

 common fervant. And not only has he fo much of the intelligence 

 of man, but he has the difpofitions, the affedions, and the paffions 

 of men : For he has great love and afFedion for his keeper, who fur- 

 nifhes him all the neceffaries of life ; and if any other perfon, 

 though not belonging to the family, do him any good office, he 

 is fenfible of it, and may be faid to have gratitude for it ; and it is 

 obferved, that, if he has been well treated in any houfe, he will, in 

 paffing the houfe *, bow his head as an acknowledgment of the fa- 

 vour he has received. He has alfo, as I have obferved, refentment 

 of any injury that is done him, fuch as breaking a promife made 

 to him. 



We have in this country a domeftlcated animal, which, for his fa- 

 gacity and his attachment to his mafter, Mr Smellie confiders as the 

 next animal to the elephant ; I mean the dog f . He is fo well 

 known, that I think it is needlefs to fay any thing of him here, 



as 



* Vol. I. p. 449. 



f Ibid. p. 450. 



