ON THE RIGHTS OF BEASTS. 12J 



the man, who is engaged in defending the caufe 

 of the innocent, the helplefs, and the opprefled ; 

 and even if otherwife, I will place my foot upon 

 the everlafting pillar of truth, ftill open to con- 

 viction ; no, I will look down with the calmed 

 indifference upon all fuch animadverfions as are 

 the refult of precipitant thinking, or interefled 

 fophiftry. Befides, the time is arrived, when 

 we all ought to challenge the right of fpeaking 

 our minds freely, and without referve, be what- 

 ever the fubjeft. There is no other road to 

 truth and reformation. Let us pledge our- 

 felves, one and all, to follow it. 



Of all things in the world, however, let me 

 not be fufpecled of defiring to abridge the plea- 

 fures and enjoyments of life ; on the contrary, 

 I fhall be found, in the courfe of this work, a 

 willing, although perhaps a weak advocate, for 

 all thofe fports which infpire mirth and hila- 

 rity, and promote health, by ileeling the confti- 

 tution with pleafing labour. It requires only a 

 juft turn of thinking, and a due contempt for 

 blind and ftolid cuftom, to feel convinced, that 

 pleafurable fenfations and cruelty are incom- 

 patible. 



Nature feems to have divided human, and 

 even brute minds, into two claffes ; luch as are 

 indifferent to, or have a hearty contempt for 

 helpleflhefs and diflrefs ; and fuch, whofe hearts 

 are ever attracted by fuffering misfortune, and 



who, 



