ANIMALS 



sualist is contented with those enjoyments that 

 are already made to his hand ; but the man of 

 pleasure is best pleased with growing happi- 

 ness. 



Of all the senses, perhaps, there is not one 

 in which man is more inferior to other animals 

 than in that of smelling. With man, it is a 

 sense that acts in a narrow sphere, and disgusts 

 almost as frequently as it gives him pleasure. 

 With many other animals it is diffused to a 

 very great extent ; and never seems to offend 

 them. Dogs not only trace the steps of other 

 animals, but also discover them by the scent at 

 a very great distance ; and while they are 

 thus exquisitely ensible of all smells, they seem 

 no way disgusted by any. 



But, although this sense is, in general, so 

 very inferior in man, it is much stronger in 

 those nations that abstain from animal food, 

 than among Europeans. The Bramins of India 

 have a power of smelling, as I am informed, 

 equal to what it is in most other creatures. 

 They can smell the water which they drink, 

 that to us seems quite inodorous ; and have a 

 word, in their language, which denotes a 

 country of fine water. We are told also, that 

 the negroes of the Antilles, by the smell alone, 

 can distinguish between the footsteps of a 

 Frenchman and a negro. It is possible, there- 

 fore, that we may dull this Tgan by our luxuri- 

 ous way of living ; and sacrifice to the pleasures 

 of taste, those which might be received from 

 perfume. 



However, it is a sense that we can, in some 

 measure, dispense with ; and I have known 

 many that wanted it entirely, with but very 

 little inconvenience from its loss. In a state 

 of nature it is said to be useful in guiding us to 

 proper nourishment, and deterring us from that 

 which is unwholesome ; but, in our present 

 situation, such information is but little wanted ; 

 and, indeed, but little attended to. In fact, 

 the sense of smelling gives us very often false 

 intelligence. Many things that have a disagree- 

 able odour, are, nevertheless, wholesome and 

 pleasant to the taste ; and such as make eating 

 an art, seldom think a meal fit to please the appe- 

 titp, till it begins to offend the nose. On the 

 otlipr hand, there are many things that smell 

 mot gratefully, and yet are noxious, or fatal to 

 the constitution. Some physicians think that 

 perfunii-s ingeneralare unwholesome; thatthey 

 relax the nerves, produce head-aches, and even 



retard digestion. The manchineel apple, which 

 is known to be deadly poison, is possessed of 

 the most grateful odour. Some of those mine- 

 ral vapours that are often found fatal in the 

 stomach, smell like the sweetest flowers, and 

 continue thus to flatter till they destroy. This 

 sense, therefore, as it should seem, was never 

 meant to direct us in the choice of food, but 

 appears rather as an attendant than a necessary 

 pleasure. 



Indeed, if we examine the natives of different 

 countries, or even different natives of the same, 

 we shall find no pleasure in which they differ 

 so widely as that of smelling. Some persons 

 are pleased with the smell of a rose ; while I 

 have known others that could not abide to have 

 it approach them. The savage nations are 

 highly delighted with the smell of assafcetidn, 

 which is to us the most nauseous stink in nature. 

 It would in a manner seem that our delight in 

 perfumes was made by habit ; and that a very 

 little industry could bring us totally to invert 

 the perception of odours. 



Thus much is certain, that many bodies 

 which at one distance are an agreeable perfume, 

 when nearer are a most ungrateful odour. 

 Musk and ambergrise, in small quantities, are 

 considered by most persons as highly fragrant; 

 and yet, when in larger masses, their scent is 

 insufferable. From a mixture of two bodies, 

 each whereof is, of itself, void of all smell, a 

 very powerful smell may be drawn. Thus, by 

 grinding quick-lime with sal-ammoniac, may 

 be produced a very fcetid mixture. On the 

 contrary, from a mixture of two bodies, that 

 are separately disagreeable, a very pleasant 

 aromatic odour may be gained. A mixture of 

 aqua-fortis with spirit of wine produces this 

 effect. But not only the alterations of bodies 

 by each other, but the smallest change in us, 

 makes a very great alteration in this sense, and 

 frequently deprives us of it totally. A slight 

 cold often hinders us from smelling ; and as 

 often changes the nature of odours. Some 

 persons, from disorder, retain an incurable 

 aversion to those smells which most pleased 

 them before : and many have been known to 

 have an antipathy to some animals, whose 

 presence they instantly perceived by the smell. 

 From all this, therefore, the sense of smelling 

 appears to be an uncertain monitor, easily dis- 

 ordered, and not much missed when totally 

 wanting. 



