132 ON THE RIGHTS OF BEASTS. 



from him, and expofed to public fale ; Parrha- 

 fius purchafed him immediately, carried him to 

 Athens, and whillt he made the wretched Olyn- 

 thian perifh under every torment which art 

 could inflict, he drew from the writhings of his 

 tortured frame, a Prometheus under the beak 

 and talons of the vulture. This piece was 

 given by the artifl to the Temple of Minerva, 

 at Athens, and received by the city without 

 fcruple or queftion. What is (till more won- 

 derful, the moral Seneca reafons with great 

 coolnefs upon the propriety of their conduct, 

 on that lamentable occafion." 



Several writers are difpofed to controvert the 

 authenticity of the above dreadful (lory, no 

 other authority for it having reached the pre- 

 fent times, than the fmgle one of Seneca, the 

 tragedian. For the credit of human nature, I 

 have ever wiflied to withhold my affent, which 

 certain modern analogies, where trading or 

 profeffional intereft and profit are concerned, 

 have rendered, I muff confefs, too difficult. Be- 

 fides, the reafoning of Seneca is one fpecies of 

 confirmation of the fact.. It convinces us, at 

 leaft, of the pojjc of a human heart being fuf- 

 ficiently cool, callous, and diabolical, to reafon 

 upon the propriety of fuch a " namelefs deed.'' 



The experimental tortures which are inflicl- 

 ed upon poor guiltlefs animals, are faid to be 



for 



