l6>2 ON THE RIGHTS OF BEASTS. 



affection for man, in the Arabian courfer. 

 Amongft our northern neighbours, of Tarta- 

 rian defcent,the brute creation has found learned 

 and powei ful advocates ; of the mod eminent 

 of whom, was John Erifchen, an Icelandic gen- 

 tleman, who, about forty years fince, publifhed 

 at Copenhagen his Treatife M De Philippia Ve- 

 terum ;" or, of the Affection of the Ancients for 

 Horfes. I regret never to have enjoyed an op- 

 portunity of perufmg this book, which, I am 

 informed, is written in pure and elegant Latin. 



Humanity and benevolence to helplefs beafls, 

 is (in general) a certain indication of genero- 

 fity of foul, and of a natural love of juflice. 

 If it be real, not occafional or affumed, depend, 

 fuch a foul harbours no feeds of lurking trea- 

 chery. But I do not mean that partial kind of 

 charity, which embraces only black cats and 

 robins, bccaufe, forfooth, the one wears a coat 

 of a fortunate colour, and the other is a facred 

 bird. A pretty conceit truly, that the old Gen- 

 tleman's colour mould be the harbinger of good 

 luck ; and that robins, the moft fpiteful and 

 quarrelfome of all birds, two of whom are 

 never feen upon one bum, fhould be entitled to 

 an exclufive and privileged companion : in 

 one fenfe, perhaps, it may be perfectly right, to 

 flyle robin-redbrealts, God Almighty's chofen 

 dicky-birds ; fince they look upon all the reft 

 of the feathered tribe as Pluliftines, and enter- 

 tain 



