CREATION OF ANIMALS. 11 



poison of destruction in them, nor the kingdom of 

 death upon the earth. When we consider the 

 relative position of man and the animal kingdom, 

 by the divine decree, subjected to his dominion, 

 the harmony and good will that subsisted between 

 them, it appears improbable that immortal man 

 would have been afflicted by the appearance of 

 death and destruction amongst his subjects from 

 any cause, especially by the strong, and those 

 armed with deadly weapons, attacking and de- 

 vouring the weak and helpless. Even now, 

 fallen as we are from our original dignity, there 

 is no creaure so fell and savage that we have not 

 more or less the power to subdue and tame ; no 

 natures so averse, that we are not skilled to re- 

 concile; we can counteract even instinct itself, 

 and make a treaty of peace and mutual good 

 will between animals, whom nature, by a law, 



has placed in the fiercest enmity and opposition 



i . T ., 

 to each other. 1 



. 

 The Creator, indeed, foreseeing the fatal apos- 



tacy that plunged our race in ruin, and providing 

 for the circumstances in which our globe would 

 eventually be placed from the too rapid increase 

 of various animals most given to multiply, fur- 

 nished the predatory tribes with organs and 

 offensive arms, which, when he gave the word 

 and let loose the reins, would urge them to the 



1 See Appendix, note 5. 



