NATURAL THEOLOGY. 299 



If there be imputed defects without compensa- 

 tion, I should suspect that they were defects only 

 in appearance. Thus, the body of the sloth has 

 often been reproached for the slowness of its mo- 

 tions, which has been attributed to an imperfec- 

 tion in the formation of its limbs. But it ought 

 to be observed that it is this slowness which alone 

 suspends the voracity of the animal. He fasts 

 durins his migration from one tree to another : and 

 this fast maybe necessary for the relief of his over- 

 charged vessels, as well as to allow time for the 

 concoction of the mass of coarse and hard food 

 which he has taken into his stomach. The tardi- 

 ness of his pace seems to have reference to the 

 capacity of his organs, and to his propensities with 

 respect to food — i. e., is calculated to counteract 

 the effects of repletion. 



Or there may be cases in which a defect is ar- 

 tificial, and compensated by the very cause which 

 produces it. Thus the sheej), in the domesticated 

 state in which we see it, is destitute of the ordi- 

 nary means of defence or escape — is incapable 

 either of resistance or flight. But this is not so 

 with the wild animal. The natural sheep is swift 

 and active ; and, if it lose these qualities when it 

 comes under the subjection of man, the loss is 

 compensated by his protection. Perhaps there is 

 no species of quadruped whatever which suffers so 

 little as this does from the depredation of animals 

 of prey. 



For the sake of making our meaning better un- 



