ANIMALS. 151 



in a superior degree to the rest, their constant 

 services, or their unceasing hostilities, all render 

 them the foremost objects of our curiosity, and the 

 most interesting parts of animated nature. These, 

 however, although now so completely subdued, 

 very probably, in the beginning, were nearer upon 

 an equality with us, and disputed the possession 

 of the earth. Man, while yet savage himself, was 

 but ill qualified to civilize the forest. While yet 

 naked, unarmed, and without shelter, every wild 

 beast was a formidable rival ; and the destruction 

 of such was the first employment of heroes. But, 

 when he began to multiply, and arts to accumu- 

 late, he soon cleared the plains of the most noxi- 

 ous of these his rivals ; a part was taken under 

 his protection and care, while the rest found a 

 precarious refuge in the burning desert, or the 

 howling wilderness. 



From being rivals, quadrupeds have now become 

 the assistants of man j upon them he devolves the 

 most laborious employments, and finds in them 

 patient and humble coadjutors, ready to obey, and 

 content with the smallest retribution. It was not, 

 however, without long and repeated efforts that the 

 independent spirit of these animals was broken \ 

 for the savage freedom, in wild animals, is gene- 

 rally found to pass down through several genera- 

 tions before it is totally subdued. Those cats and 

 dogs that are taken from a state of natural wild- 

 ness in the forest, transmit their fierceness to 

 their young ; and, however concealed in general, 

 it breaks out upon several occasions. Thus the 

 assiduity and application of man in bringing them 



