206 



A HISTORY OF 



some, be reckoned among the birds. The 

 porcupine has not less protrusions to that class, 

 being covered with quills, and showing that 

 birds are not the only part of nature that are 

 furnished with such a defence. The armadillo 

 might be referred to the tribe of insects or 

 snails, being, like them, covered with a shell ; 

 the seal and the morse might be ranked among 

 the fishes, like them being furnished with fins, 

 and almost constantly residing in the same ele- 

 ment. All these, the farther th^y recede from 

 the human figure, become less perfect, and 

 may be considered as the lowest kinds of that 

 class to which we have referred them. 



But although the variety in quadrupeds is 

 thus great, they all seem well adapted to the 

 stations in which they are placed. There is 

 scarcely one of them, how rudely shaped so- 

 ever, that is not formed to enjoy a state of hap- 

 piness fitted to its nature. All its deformities 

 are only relative to us, but all its enjoyments 

 are peculiarly its own. We may superficially 

 suppose the sloth, that takes up months in 

 climbing a single tree, or the mole, whose 

 eyes are too small for distant vision, are 

 wretched and helpless creatures : but it is pro- 

 bable that their life, with respect to themselves, 

 is a life of luxury ; the most pleasing food is 

 easily obtained ; and as they are abridged in 

 one pleasure, it may be doubled in those which 

 remain. Quadrupeds, and all the lower kinds 

 of animals, have, at worst, but the torments 

 of immediate evil to encounter, and this is but 

 transient and accidental : man has two sources 

 of calamity, that which he foresees, as well as 

 that which he feels ; so that, if his reward 

 were to be in this life alone, then, indeed, 

 would he be, of all beings, the most wretched. 



The heads of quadrupeds, though differing 

 from each other, are, in general, adapted to 

 their way of living. In some it is sharp, the 

 better to fit the animal for turning up the earth 

 in which its food lies. In some it is long, in 

 orfter to give a greater room for the olfactory 

 nerves, as in dogs, who are to hunt and find 

 out their prey by the scent. In others it is 

 short and thick, as in the lion, to increase the 

 strength of the jaw, and to fit it the better for 

 combat. In quadrupeds that feed upon grass, 

 they are enabled to hold down their heads to 

 the ground, by a strong tendinous ligament, 

 that runs from the head to the middle of the 

 back. This serves to raise the head, although 



it has been held to the ground for several 

 hours, without any labour, or any assistance 

 from the muscles of the neck. 



The teeth of all animals are entirely fitted 

 to the nature of their food. Those of such as 

 live upon flesh differ in every respect from 

 such as live upon vegetables. la the latter 

 they seem entirely made for gathering and 

 bruising their simple food, being edged before, 

 and fitted for cutting ; but broad towards the 

 back of the jaw, and fitted for pounding. In 

 the carnivorous kinds, they are sharp before, 

 and fitted rather for holding than dividing. 

 In the one, the teeth serve as grindstones; in 

 the other, as weapons of defence : in both, 

 however, the surface of those teeth which serve 

 for grinding are unequal ; the cavities and 

 risings fitting those of the opposite, so as to 

 tally exactly when the jaws are brought to- 

 gether. These inequalities better serve for 

 comminuting the food ; but they become 

 smooth with age; and, for this reason, old 

 animals take a longer time to chew their food 

 than such as are in the vigour of life. 



Their legs are not better fitted than their 

 teeth to their respective wants or enjoyments. 

 In some they are made for strength only, and 

 to support a vast unwieldly frame, without 

 much flexibility or beautiful proportion. Thus 

 the legs of the elephant, the rhinoceros, and 

 the sea-horse, resemble pillars: were they 

 made smaller, they would be unfit to support 

 the body ; were they endowed with greater 

 flexibility, or swiftness, that would be needless, 

 as they do not pursue other animals for food ; 

 and, conscious of their own superior strength, 

 there are none that they deiun to a void. Deers, 

 hares, and other creatures, that are to find safe- 

 ty only in flight, have their legs made entirely 

 for speed ; they are slender and nervous. Were 

 it not for this advantage, every carnivorous ani- 

 mal would soon make them a prey, and their 

 races would be entirely extinguished. But, 

 i in the present state of nature, the means of 

 safety are rather superior to those of offence ; 

 I and the pursuing animal mu.-i i> \ e success only 

 i to patience, perseverance, and industry. The 

 feet of some, that live upon lish alone, are 

 made for swimming. Tlu- ! s of these ani- 

 mals are joined together \\iih membranes, 

 being web-footed like a goose or a duck, by 

 which they swim with great rar.idjty. Those 

 animals that lead a life of hostility, and live 



