16 INTELLECT OF ANIMALS. 



fering, but the faculty of knowing how to provide 

 against evils or even to afford assistance when circum- 

 stances make it necessary ; and a readiness also to 

 profit by experience, either as regards themselves or 

 others. Take, for example, the instance of the St. Ber- 

 nard dog, w r ho, when sitting at the door of the monas- 

 tery, saw a poor woman pass by with a young child, 

 and who immediately got up, and followed her till 

 she was overtaken by a snow-storm, upon w r hich he 

 ran back with all speed to procure assistance ; that 

 of the cat, who, in jumping upon a chair, had fallen 

 through it in consequence of the seat being taken 

 out, and who would never again seat herself on one 

 without standing on her hind legs to see if all was 

 safe ; and, lastly, the fact related of an elephant, 

 who rescued an officer from the paws of an enraged 

 lion, by bending down across the body of the animal a 

 young tree, w r hich pinned him to the ground, and 

 constrained him from excessive pain to let go his 

 hold. 



But what good, it may be asked, can be derived 

 from considerations which thus tend to raise brute 

 animals in the scale? Much in every w r ay. We 

 are taught, by the knowledge of facts, that animals 

 are susceptible not only of bodily, but mental dis- 

 tress ; and hence our own happiness is enhanced by 

 promoting theirs. We are saved from sins of igno- 

 rance, and induced to show kindness to those whom 

 the Lord has placed below us, and whom He has 

 given for our use. We are admonished that to 

 inflict on these unnecessary pain, whether bodily 

 or mental, must be displeasing in the sight of Him 

 who is not unmindful of the humblest of his 



