464 THE PHILOSOPHY 



never, like man, difperfe themfelves over the whole furface 

 of the earth. But, when obliged by man, or by any great 

 revolution of Nature, to abandon their native foil, they un- 

 dergo changes fo great, that, to recognife and diftinguifli 

 them, recourfe muft be had to the moft accurate examina- 

 tion. If we add to climate and food, thofe natural caufes of 

 alteration in free animals, the empire of man over fuch of 

 them as he has reduced to fervitude, the degree to which ty- 

 ranny degrades and disfigures Nature will appear to be great- 

 ly augmented. The mouflon, the ftock from which our do- 

 nieftic flieep have derived their origin, is comparatively a 

 large animal. He is as fleet as a flag, armed with horns and 

 ftrong hoofs, and covered with coarfe hair. With thcfe na- 

 tural advantages, he dreads neither the inclemency of the fky, 

 nor the voracity of the wolf. By the fwiftnefs of his courfe, 

 he not only efcapes from his enemies, but he is enabled to 

 relift them by the ftrength of his body and the folidity of 

 his arms. How different is this animal from our domeftic 

 Iheep, who are timid, weak, and unable to defend them- 

 felves .'' "Without the prote<5lion of man, the whole race 

 would foon be extirpated by rapacious animals and by win- 

 ter-florms. In the warm^eft climates of Africa and of Afia, 

 the mouflon, who is the common parent of the fheep, appears 

 to be lefs degenerated than in any other region. Though re- 

 duced to a domeftic ftate, he has preferved bis ftature and his 

 hair ; but the fize of his horns is diminifhed. The fheep of 

 Barbary, Egypt, Arabia, Perfia, &c. have undergone greater 

 changes ; and, in proportion as they approach toward either 

 pole, they diminifh in fize, in ftrength, in fwiftnefs, and in 

 courage. In relation to man, they are improved in fome ar». 

 tides, and vitiated in others. Their coarfe hair is converted 

 into fine wool. But, with regard to Nature, improvement 

 and degeneration amount to the fame thing , for both imply 

 ^n alteration of the original cenftitution^ 



