l.{4 ON THE RIGHTS OF BEASTS. 



I am convinced, proceed merely from want of 

 due confederation, and from a fudden intempe- 

 rate flow of the animal fpirits. I have been 

 informed (but I declined making any enquiry 

 to afcertain the facl, and am willing to hope 

 it may have been groundlefs) that a certain 

 gallant Admiral, in bringing up the news of 

 a celebrated vt6lory, left feveral poor poft- 

 horfes on the road, lingering in the agonies 

 of death, the victims of his too eager hafle. 

 A late noble author tells us, with the mod per- 

 fect, fangfroid, or rather as a matter of bravery 

 and exultation, of the horfes which his father 

 killed in carrying the news of a monarch's death 

 to his fucceflbr. Alas ! whether in circum- 

 llances of good or evil fortune, thefe poor ani- 

 mals feem deftined alike the victims of our 

 wantonnefs, or our neceffity. The fame ab- 

 furd and unprofitable cruelties prevail at elec- 

 tions, and upon almoft all public occafions. 

 They may be with the utmoit truth, ftyled un- 

 profitable ; and that to all parties (putting hu- 

 manity out of queflion ;) for the traveller whofe 

 giddy and irrational aim is more hade than na- 

 ture will allow, labours to defeat his own pur- 

 pofe ; and he who tires or kills his Horfes, af- 

 furedly lofes time ; gaining nothing by way of 

 recompence, but the unenviable reputation of 

 having, in a mean, bafe, and cowardly manner, 

 tortured out the life of a generous animal, 

 which had flruggled to the lalt fob of expiring 



nature 



