THE DOG. 171 



for himself. When, therefore, his strength, his speed, 

 or his senses fail, he is necessarily delivered up either 

 to absolute famine, or to the protracted misery of a 

 life slowly wasted by pain and scarcity of food. May 

 it not then be considered as a benevolent dispensation 

 of Providence, that in the present constitution of 

 things, animals generally either fall victims to one 

 another, or are slaughtered for the sustenance of man; 

 and few of them, either in a wild or domestic state, 

 suffer the miseries of helpless age and gradual decay. 

 I have, my dear Sir, expatiated somewhat more 

 largely on this subject, as the circumstance of animals 

 supporting life by devouring one another, forms the 

 chief, if not the only instance in the ceconomy of na- 

 ture, in which the marks of -design are evident, but 

 the character of utility obscure. The whole affords a 

 curious subject of contemplation; and although v,e 

 can only see a very small part in the comprehensive 

 system, impartial reasoning and serious reflection, 

 will render the view of things far diiierent from what 

 it appears to the eye of a superficial observer, and 

 oblige us to exclaim with the poet - 



" Sec and confess, one truth must still arise, 

 3 Tis this, though man's a fool, jet God is wise." 



I am, 



Dear Sir, &c. 



LETTER XXX. 



"'Of. all the speechless friends of mau, 



The fail hi ul dog I deem, 

 Deson ing from the human clan, 



The tenderest esteem." 



n AY LET. 



DEAR SIR. 



I COME now to a description of animals, carnivor- 

 ous indeed, but far less mischievous and 

 than those which we have lately contemplated. 

 1 shall present to you under the gemjral denomination 

 i 9' 



