38 A BOOK OF MORTALS 



seems that animals are not far behind us in the more positive 

 virtue ; if only because " conformity to law " is, in their 

 case, responsible for nearly all their quarrels. 



For the Law of Increase lays on them stern command 

 for strength, courage, pertinacity, and they do not shrink 

 from obeying it, though such obedience often brings them 

 injury — sometimes death. 



Outside, however, this casus belli of sex, the animals do 

 small injury and show little injustice to their own kind. They 

 kill vegetable and animal life, as we do, in order to support 

 their own, for the law of sacrifice is an universal law ; but, 

 also like us, they are seldom cannibals. In point of wanton 

 destruction due to self-indulgence, they do not equal man, 

 neither is dishonesty so prevalent amongst them. There 

 are exceptions, especially amongst the birds, but this is 

 invariably accompanied by a social reprobation of the fault 

 which goes far to prove its exceptional nature. 



A certain sense of justice in the abstract may, also, find 

 at least suggestion in many accurate observations ; as for 

 instance in the case of the mule which obstinately refused 

 to work out of its due turn, or the elephant which killed its 

 brutal mahout, then lifted the offender's little son to his 

 father's place. 



But it is impossible to yield more than suggestiveness to 

 such instances, and the safest comparison in regard to justice 

 is the negative one ; that is the absence of the outward 

 signs of anger and dishonesty. 



There are exceptions, of course, but to anyone who 

 takes fair and unbiased observation with him into the 

 wilderness there will surely come as he waits and watches a 

 sense of rest and peace. 



