ANIMALS. 4-7 



simple as they are limited, and admit of little 

 variety. The man of imagination makes a great 

 and an artificial happiness, by the pleasure of 

 altering and combining ; the sensualist stops just 

 where he began, and cultivates only those plea- 

 sures which he cannot improve. The sensualist 

 is contented with those enjoyments that are 

 already made to his hand ; but the man of plea- 

 sure is the best pleased with growing happiness. 



Of all the senses, perhaps, there is not one in 

 which man is more inferior to other animals than 

 in that of smelling. With man, it is a sense that 

 acts in a narrow sphere, and disgusts almost as 

 frequently as it gives him pleasure. With many 

 other animals it is diffused to a very great extent, 

 and never seems to offend them. Dogs not only 

 trace the steps of other animals, but also discover 

 them by the scent at a very great distance ; and 

 while they are thus exquisitely sensible of all 

 smells, they seem no way disgusted by any. 



But although this sense is in general so very 

 inferior in man, it is much stronger in those na- 

 tions that abstain from animal food than among 

 Europeans. The Bramins of India have a power 

 of smelling, as I am informed, equal to what it is 

 in most other creatures. They can smell the 

 water which they drink, that to us seems quite 

 inodorous ; and have a word, in their language, 

 which denotes a country of fine water. We are 

 told, also, that the Negroes of the Antilles, by 

 the smell alone, can distinguish between the foot- 

 steps of a Frenchman and a Negro. It is possi- 

 ble, therefore, that we may dull this organ by our 



