176 NATURAL HISTORY. 



also believe, that they have had orders to grow with- 

 out his help ? If we consider, nevertheless, the weak- 

 ness and stupidity of the sheep, and at the same time 

 reflect, that this animal, without defence, cannot rind 

 safety in flight ; that he has for his enemies all de- 

 vouring animals, which seem to seek him in preference 

 to any other; that formerly this species produced but 

 few ; that each individual lived but a short time ; we 

 shall be inclined to think, that from the beginning, sheep 

 were entrusted to the care of man. What seems to 

 give farther strength to this opinion is, that there are 

 no wild sheep in the deserts ; that in all places where 

 man does not rule, the lion, the- tiger, and the wolf 

 reign by force, and by cruelty ; and these animals of 

 blood and carnage, all live longer, and multiply much 

 more than sheep ; and, in short, that if we were now 

 to abandon the troops of these species, which we have 

 rendered so numerous, they would soon be destroyed 

 before our eyes, and the species would be entirely an- 

 nihilated by the voraciousness of its numberless spe- 

 cies of enemies. 



The sheep is indeed absolutely without resource, 

 and without defence. The ram has but feeble arms ; 

 his courage is nothing but a petulence useless to him- 

 self, inconvenient to others, and which is destroyed by 

 castration. The weather sheep are still more fearful 

 than ewes ; it is through fear that they muster up so 

 often in troops. The smallest noise to which they 

 are unaccustomed, is sufficient to make them fly, and 

 get close together. This fear is attended with the 

 greatest stupidity ; for they know not how to fly the 

 danger, nor do they even seem to feel the inconveni- 

 ence of their situation. They continue wherever they 

 are, either in rain or snow, whence they will not stir ; 



