450 THE PHILOSOPHY 



ber and fplendour of their ornaments. The Afiatics, who 

 were very anciently civilized, perceiving the fagacity and do- 

 cility of the elephant, educated him in a fyftematic manner, 

 and modiiied his dif[)oiitions according to their own man- 

 ners, and the ufeful labours in v^^hich his ftrength and dexte- 

 terity could be employed. 



A domeftic elephant performs more labour than could be 

 accomplifhed by fix horfes •, but he requires much care and 

 a great deal of food. He is fubjedt to be. over-heated, 

 and muft be led to the water twice or thrice a- day. He 

 eafily learns to bathe himfelf. With his trunk he fucks up 

 large quantities of water, carries it to his mouth, drinks part 

 of it, and, by elevating his trunk, makes the remainder run 

 over every part of his body. To give fome idea of the la- 

 bour he performs, and the docility of his difpofitions, it is 

 worthy of remark, that, in India, all the bales, facks, and 

 tuns tranfported from one place to another, are carried by 

 elephants. They carry burdens on their bodies, their necks, 

 their tuiks, and even in their mouths, by giving them the end 

 of a rope, which they hold faft with their teeth. Uniting 

 fagacity Vvith ftrength, they never break or injure any thing 

 committed to their charge. From the margins of the riv- 

 ers, they put weighty bundles into boats without wetting 

 them, lay them down gently, and arrange them where they 

 ought to be placed. When the goods are difpofed as their 

 maflers dire6l, they examine with their trunks whether the 

 articles are properly flowed ; and, if a cafjv or tun rolls, 

 they go fpontaneoufly in queil: of frones to prop and render 

 it firm. 



In the elephant, the fenfe of fmeUing is acute, and he is 

 pafilonately fond of odoriferous flowers, which he collects 

 one by one, forms them into a nofegay, and, after gratifying 

 |iis nofe, convevs them to his mouth. 



