128 ON THE RIGHTS OF BEASTS. 



who, from a natural impulfe, range themfelves 

 by its fide. Thefe laft have hitherto been inva- 

 riably in the minority. The majority, or men 

 of the concrete, who detefl abftracl principles, 

 and who wifh to keep things as they find them, 

 will infift upon the impoflibility of ameliorating 

 the condition of brutes, and therefore they will 

 not attempt it. They will alledge, that all ani- 

 mals are naturally in a flate of warfare, and 

 prey upon each other ; that companion feems 

 excluded from the fyflem of nature, and there- 

 fore they infer no neceflity for it. They may 

 fay with Hume, " they know not by what prin- 

 ciple brutes claim jullice at our hands." Be- 

 caufe a certain portion of evil is neceifary and 

 unavoidable, they are too indolent to be at the 

 pains of difcrimination, to determine how much 

 the mafs may poflibly be reduced ; the obvious 

 impombility of attaining perfection diflieartens 

 them, and prevents all effort. But there is a 

 duty attached to the very nature of man, and 

 although the molt important of all others, per- 

 petually overlooked ; it behoves us in all things, 

 to make the neareft poflible approach to per- 

 fection. We cannot prevent the misfortunes 

 of beads ; they rnuft have their fhare of fuffer- 

 ing ; but let us permit no unneceflary or wan* 

 ton additions to that load, fufficiently heavy, 

 which nature has impofed. Material nature is 

 brute and indifcriminating, until its blind and 



headlong 



