Carnivorous Animals. 1 21 



If now we grant that these animals have more 

 enjoyment than suffering during their existence, 

 any method that increases the number of animals 

 adds to the sum of animal enjoyment in the world. 

 If we consider the vegetable-feeders that are de- 

 stroyed, their destruction by carnivorous animals 

 cannot be reckoned a misfortune to them as a elass. 

 It shortens animal enjoyment in the individual, but 

 it saves individual suffering in the end, and in- 

 the sum of enjoyment for the whole class 

 Many more individuals among vegetable-feeders 

 come to maturity now than could find food if all 

 were allowed to live the full term of life. We thus 

 have the enjoyment of several young animals for a 

 short time, cut off in a moment, instead of the 

 enjoyment of one animal living a much longer time 

 with weakened powers of enjoyment and suffering 

 in the end from hunger and weakness of old age. 

 There can be no doubt in which way the great 

 amount of animal enjoyment is secured. Old age 

 to man is desirable, cheered by the companionship 

 of friends ; and disease itself may prove a moral 

 blessing. But for brutes, old age and disease are 

 not thus mitigated. And provision has been made 

 that among wild animals they should be impossible, 

 or of the shortest possible duration. When the 

 powers of an animal have been weakened by old 

 age or disease, some watchful enemy is generally 

 upon his track, and his sufferings are ended in a 

 moment. By the introduction of beasts and birds 

 of prey, then, animals are destroyed with less pain 



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