LETTtR XVI. 



hundred thousand pounds, the value of the cloth mnst 

 be above uveucy uiiliions sterling. Oar woollen ma- 

 nufactory stands unrivalled by any nation, and em- 

 ploys n greater ca >ital, produces a greater profit, and 

 furnishes ernptoyrnVht to a greater number of hands, 

 thai, any other manufacture in Europe, or probably 

 in the world. Thus you will perceive, my dear Sir, 

 that the sheep of this island, besides supplying us 

 with the most essential comforts and conveniences of 

 life, are the support of our commerce and population, 

 as well as one of the great sources of our wealth. 

 When you have given these considerations their due 

 weight, you will not, I presume, adopt the principle 

 advanced by some naturalists, who pretend that ani- 

 mals were not primarily intended for the use of man, 

 but are only capable of a secondary application to 

 his purposes'; for it is evident, that in many instances, 

 what these philosophers term the secondary purpose, is 

 so manifest and so essentially necessary to our com- 

 fortable existence,, that we cannot, without impro- 

 priety, as well as ingratitude, suppose it to have been 

 excluded from the original design of the All- wise and 

 bountiful Creator. The wonderful qualities and va- 

 ried utility of the horse, the cow, and the sheep, ex- 

 hibit a striking example of this subordination of the 

 animal race, and of an adaptation to the circumstances 

 and wants of the human species, which evidently ap- 

 pears to be the effect of an all-wise design, and a 

 constituent part of a comprehensive plan. In order 

 to perceive, the reasonableness. of this hypothesis, you 

 have only to consider the benefits we derive from 

 these animal*, and the difficulties under which ma:i- 

 kiirl runs-- h -ve laboured without them, or some others 

 which might have served as substitutes. The impor- 

 tant and interesting reflections, both moral and reli- 

 gious, which these three excellent s-pecies of quadru- 

 peds, so commonly seen, but so seldom viewed with a 

 philosophic eye, are calculated to excite in the con- 

 templative mind, will, I flatter myself, be i\ suiiicient 

 apology fir the prolixity of this article, and a proof of 

 the sincere aiioction with which I am, dear Sir, 



Your's, Sec. 



