PREFACE 



TO THE 



FIRST AMERICAN EDITION. 



" There are two great sources of the mortality of cattle and sheep, and the loss 

 of agricult./fal property ; and it is difficult to say which is the worst,— the ignorance 

 and obstinac/ of the servant and the cow-leech, or the ignorance and supineness of 

 the owner." Youatt; 



The beneficence of an all-uise Providence in so organizing 

 man as to secure him dominion over animals of inferior physical 

 construction, imposes on him the obhgation to exercise that emi- 

 nent advantage in a spirit of mercy, and in mitigation of the 

 pains and disorders of the brute creation ; and both the obliga- 

 tion and the necessity to do so, are enhanced by the considera- 

 tion, that in being domesticated and made subserv^ient to our 

 uses, animals lose in a great measure that instinct which enables 

 them to distinguish what is noxious from that which is whole- 

 some, and become, as does the human race in the process of 

 civilization, hable to numerous and comphcated diseases to which 

 they are comparatively strangers when roaming in the simple 

 habits and unrestrained freedom of nature. 



Assuredly, there is no great charity in the creed which would 

 teach that of all the variety of God's creation that make up his 

 animal kingdom, some of them displaying high culture and fine 

 affections of mind and heart, he should care alone for the pre- 

 sent and future happiness of inan ! 



" Know Nature's children all divide her care; 

 The fur that warms a monarch warmed a bear ; 

 While man exclaims, ' See all things for my use !' 

 ' See man for mine,' replies a pampered goose : 

 And just as short of reason must he fall 

 Who tliinks all made for one, not one for aU." 



(xi) 



