ANIMALS. 387 



reason to thank Providence, that the most formi- 

 dable animals are the least fruitful. Had the lion 

 and the tiger the same degree of fecundity with 

 the rabbit or the rat, all the arts of man would be 

 unable to oppose these fierce invaders ; and we 

 should soon perceive them become the tyrants of 

 those who claim the lordship of the creation. 

 But Heaven, in this respect, has wisely consulted 

 the advantage of all. It has opposed to man 

 only such enemies as he has art and strength to 

 conquer; and as large animals require propor- 

 tional supplies, nature was unwilling to give new 

 life, where it in some measure denied the neces- 

 sary means of subsistence. 



In consequence of this pre-established order, 

 the animals that are endowed with the most per- 

 fect methods of generation, and bring forth but 

 one at a time, seldom begin to procreate till they 

 have almost acquired their full growth. On the 

 other hand, those which bring forth many, en- 

 gender before they have arrived at half their 

 natural size. The horse and the bull come al- 

 most to perfection before they begin to generate ; 

 the hog and the rabbit scarcely leave the teat 

 before they become parents themselves. In what- 

 ever light, therefore, we consider this subject, we 

 shall find that all creatures approach most to per- 

 fection, whose generation most nearly resembles 

 that of man. The reptile produced from cutting, 

 is but one degree above the vegetable : the ani- 

 mal produced from the egg, is a step higher in 

 the scale of existence : that class of animals which 

 are brought forth alive, are still more exalted. 



