INFLUENCE OF THE DEMAND FOR FOOD. 67 



and he rushes to the attack, reckless of conse- 

 quences, and undismayed by the number or 

 force of his opponents. From the time he has 

 tasted blood, no education can soften the native 

 ferocity of his disposition : he is neither to be 

 reclaimed by kindness, nor subdued by the fear 

 of punishment. On the other hand, the elephant, 

 subsisting upon the vegetable productions of the 

 forest, superior in size and even in strength to 

 the tiger, and armed with as powerful weapons 

 of offence, which it wants not the courage to 

 employ when necessary, is capable of being 

 tamed with the greatest ease, is readily brought 

 to submit to the authority of man, and requites 

 with affection the benefits he receives. 



On first contemplating this extensive destruc- 

 tion of animal life by modes the most cruel and 

 revolting to all our feelings, we naturally recoil 

 with horror from the sanguinary scene ; and 

 cannot refrain from asking how all this is consis- 

 tent with the wisdom and benevolence so conspi- 

 cuously manifested in all other parts of the crea- 

 tion. The best theologians have been obliged 

 to confess that a difficulty does here exist,* and 

 that the only plausible solution which it admits 

 of, is to consider the pain and suffering thus 

 created, as one of the necessary consequences of 

 those general laws which secure, on the whole, 



* See, in particular, Paley's Natural Theology, chap. xxvi. 



