136 ON THE RIGHTS OF BEASTS. 



righteous end, can never be doubted. Alas ! 

 I am fo unhappy, as to have a right to vouch 

 for the truth of the far greater part of thofe 

 horrid barbarities lately recited as the too fre- 

 quent practice of bull-baiting ; in facl, without 

 which, it is fcarcelv ever practifed, in cafe of 

 the animal being of a mild and gentle difpofi- 

 tion ; an abominable exaggeration of a thing in 

 itfelf fufficiently infamous. The levity with 

 which the flaking down a harmlefs animal to 

 torture was treated in the debate, muft give 

 pain to the feeling mind ; and as to the argu- 

 ments in favour of bull-baiting, they moft con- 

 veniently loofen the bands of moral obligation, 

 whenever intereft or prejudice may be pleaded. 

 Let us next review the auxiliary means re- 

 quifite to bring about that confummation, which 

 every humane man muft devoutly wifh ; and 

 firft, of the education of our youth. Our de- 

 fecl here, mud be obvious to the lead decern- 

 ing. What can a few general precepts, loofely 

 given, and never obferved even by thofe who 

 give them, avail againft the conftant examples 

 of cruelty placed in the obfervation of children. 

 Can the practical leffons which they learn, have 

 any other influence on their infant minds, than 

 to teach them that brutes, like flocks and ftones, 

 were made for all forts of ufes and purpofes ; 

 and that it was no part of the fcheme of a par- 

 tial and defective providence, that the feelings 

 of Rich fhould come into queftion ? The child 

 to whom a miferable animal is delivered over to 

 be ftarved to death, or pulled into quarters for 

 his amufement, too probably learns a leffon, 



which 



