ANIMALS. 283 



But not their appetites, or their figure alone, but their very dispo- 

 sitions, and their natural sagacity, are altered by the vicinity of man 

 In those countries where men have seldom intruded, some animals 

 nave been found, established in a kind of civil state of society. Re- 

 mote from the tyranny of man, they seem to have a spirit of mutual 

 benevolence, and mutual friendship. The beavers, in these distant 

 solitudes, are known to build like architects, and rule like citizens. 

 The habitations that these have been seen to erect, exceed the houses 

 of the human inhabitants of the same country, both in neatness and 

 convenience. But as soon as man intrudes upon their society, they 

 seem impressed with the terrors of their inferior situation, their spirit 

 of society ceases, the bond is dissolved, and every animal looks for 

 safety in solitude, and there tries all its little industry to shift only for 

 itself. 



Next to human influence, the climate seems to have the strongest 

 effects both upon the nature and form of quadrupeds. As in man, we 

 have seen some alterations, produced by the variety of his situation ; 

 so in the lower ranks, that are more subject to variation, the influence 

 of climate is more readily perceived. As these are more nearly at- 

 tached to the earth, and in a manner connected to the soil ; as they 

 have none of the arts of shielding off the inclemency of the weather, 

 or softening the rigours of the sun, they are consequently more 

 changed by variations. In general, it may be remarked, that the 

 colder the country, the larger and the warmer is the fur of each ani- 

 mal ; it being wisely provided by nature, that the inhabitant should 

 be adapted to the rigours of its situation. Thus, the fox and wolf, 

 which in temperate climates have but short hair, have a fine long fur 

 in the frozen regions, near the pole. On the contrary, those dogs 

 which with us have long hair, when carried to Guinea, or Angola, in 

 a short time cast their thick covering, and assume a lighter dress, and 

 one more adapted to the warmth of the country. The beaver, and 

 the ermine, which are found in the greatest plenty in the cold regions, 

 are remarkable for the warmth and delicacy of their furs ; while the 

 elephant, and the rhinoceros, that are natives of the line, have scarce 

 any hair. Not but that human nature can, in some measure, co-ope- 

 rate with, or repress the effects of climate in this particular. It is 

 well known what alterations are produced, by proper care, in the 

 sheep's fleece, in different parts of our own country ; and the same 

 industry is pursued with a like success in Syria, where many of their 

 animals are clothed with a long and beautiful hair, which they take 

 care to improve, as they work it into that stuff called camblet, so well 

 known in different parts of Europe. 



The disposition of the animal seems also not less marked by the 

 climate than the figure. The same causes that seem to have ren- 

 dered the human inhabitants of the rigorous climates savage and 

 ignorant, have also operated upon their animals. Both at the line 

 and the pole, the wild quadrupeds are fierce and untameable In 

 these latitudes, their savage dispositions having not been quelled by 

 any afforts from man, and being still farther stimulated by the seve- 

 rity of the weather, thev continue fierce and untractable. Most ol 

 the attempts which hive hitherto been made to tame the wild beasts 



