ON THE RIGHTS OF BEASTS. I43 



ter. I have difcourfed with many perfons of late, 

 whofe prejudices on this head were unconquer- 

 able ; and fhould by no means be furprifed to 

 hear of a repetition of fimilar tragedies. Surely, 

 on fuch an occurrence, the civil magiflrate 

 ought to interfere ; and I mud beg leave to pro* 

 pofe this, and indeed the fubjecl: in general 

 of humanity to the brute creation, as a pro- 

 per ftanding topic for our clergy. They can 

 never be more nobly or more ufefully em- 

 ployed, than in cleaning the vulgar mind 

 from thofe barbarous prejudices, and in lay- 

 ing there, a fure foundation for univerfal be- 

 nevolence. 



The example of the great is ever contagious ; 

 it would be a generous pride in them to con- 

 fider what immenfe benefits they have it in 

 their power to confer on human fociety, by 

 exhibiting fuch as are worthy of imitation. 

 But what muft the fubjecls of a certain king 

 have thought, when they faw him amufing 

 himfelf, by caufing a poor bullock to be re- 

 peatedly precipitated down a cataracl, until its 

 bones were broken ; and then paying the 

 worth of the bead for his princely amufe- 

 ment? Could there be any hope, that a man, 

 with fuch a heart, or fuch a head, would refpe6t 

 the feelings, or the lives of his fellow men? 

 It muft not be concealed, that we have ill ex- 

 amples of this kind, among our people of rank 

 and confequence, the far greater part of which. 



I am 



