l60 ON THE RIGHTS OF BEASTS. 



remarking upon the miflaken humanity of thole 

 tender-hearted perfons, who turn adrift a poor 

 dog or cat, which they choofc not to keep, in- 

 ftead of fairly putting them out of the reach of 

 want and mifery. Who do they expect, will en- 

 tertain a poor forlorn ftranger, when they are 

 fenfible themfelves would drive back fuch an 

 one from their door? In general, thefe poor 

 outcafts are feen ftarving about town, and dy- 

 ing by inches ; or are torn to pieces by dogs, 

 for the (trance amufement of men, whofe minds, 

 in their prefent date, are fcarce fuperior to 

 thofe of brutes. What a perverfion alfo of 

 fuch as one would fuppofe the common feel- 

 ings of humanity, and the obvious dictates of 

 reafon, that we can behold an unfortunate and 

 forfaken animal, exiled perhaps from the hof- 

 pitable board, and comfortable hearth of its 

 late owner, expofed to all the horrors of fa- 

 mine, wet and cold, and to the conftant appre- 

 henfion of infult and torture, pining for the lofs 

 of its happy home, and looking pitifully up 

 into the face of every paflenger, for mercy and 

 afliftance — I fay, that we can behold all this, 

 and inftead of affording the poor fufferer at 

 leaft a look of companion, can make fport of 

 its fufferings, and even heap additional miferies 

 upon its devoted head, by endeavouring, with 

 an induftry we refufe to the better occafion, to 

 wound, maim, and worry, and by all poflible 



means 



