2 HISTORY OF 



he knows the value of a covering j it is by being 

 exposed to the weather, that he learns the eom- 

 forts of an habitation. Every want thus becomes 

 a means of pleasure in the redressing ; and the 

 animal that has most desires, may be said to be 

 capable of the greatest variety of happiness. 



Beside the thousand imaginary wants peculiar 

 to man, there are two which he has in common 

 with all other animals, and which he feels in a 

 more necessary manner than they. These are 

 the \vants of sleep and hunger. Every animal 

 that we are acquainted with, seems to endure 

 the want of these with much less injury to health 

 than man ; and some are most surprisingly pa- 

 tient in sustaining both. The little domestic 

 animals that we keep about us, may often set 

 a lesson of calm resignation, in supporting want 

 and watchfulness, to the" boasted philosopher. 

 They receive their pittance at uncertain inter- 

 vals, and wait its coming with cheerful expecta- 

 tion. We have instances of the dog, and the 

 cat, living in this manner without food for 

 several days; and yet still preserving their at- 

 tachment to the tyrant that oppresses them, still 

 ready to- exert their little services for his amuse- 

 ment or defence. But the patience of these is 

 nothing to what the animals of the forest endure. 

 As these mostly live upon accidental carnage, 

 so they are often known to remain without food 

 for several weeks together. Nature, kindly so- 

 licitous for their support, has also contracted 

 their stomachs, to suit them for their precarious 

 way of living j and kindly, while it abridges the 



