FEAR WILL NOT TAME. 203 



Some persons may ask, what is the great utility 

 of rendering colts so docile before we want to make 

 use of their docility ? and may add, that breaking and 

 work will make them tractable. I will answer both 

 the query and the remark by referring to Van Am- 

 burgh, or any other Lion-tamer and his beasts. A 

 Lion-tamer is not a proper epithet to distinguish 

 such performers by ; for the fact is, their beasts are 

 not tame or tamed : they are awed sufficiently to make 

 them crouch before their master, and reluctantly to 

 obey him. To a certain extent they have been re- 

 duced to a state of helplessness ; and, when in that 

 state, have felt that master's superiority ; so when in 

 a certain degree of liberty, from habit the dread of 

 him remains : but let him carelessly turn his back on 

 them, and his eyes from them, they would make him 

 into minced meat for their supper. This system of 

 terror is well enough to produce all that is wanted for 

 exhibition ; but we want domestic animals to serve us 

 willingly and cheerfully, because we want them to do 

 this pleasantly : and pleasantly they will not do it if 

 the fear of punishment is their only incentive to do 

 it at all. 



We have daily proofs of the gratitude and docility 

 of domestic animals when properly and kindly used ; 

 and to show that I do not recommend this kind of 

 treatment too strongly, I will mention some instances 

 of the bad effects of its opposite ; and, in doing so, 

 shall prove that if horses are so sensible of kindness, 

 they are equally so of ill-usage. Some meek horses, 

 like cowardly men, will through fear patiently submit ; 

 but the high-spirited animal, like the proper spirited 

 man, will bear unkindness or injustice to a certain 

 point from those he loves : but oppression, if carried 



