302 THE HORSE. 



not only from the naturally insensible, and from 

 inclination actively barbarous, but from that great 

 majority of mankind, the unthinking and the un- 

 reflecting, and prejudiced followers of custom ! Not- 

 withstanding the force, eloquence, and pathos of 

 Mr. Erskine's address, and the utter insignificance of 

 those arguments, whether logical or practical, which 

 were brought to bear upon him, his bill was thrown 

 out. Ridicule seems to have constituted the ground 

 of the chief argument used against the bill, a too 

 plain indication of that kind of principle with which 

 it was desired to imbue the vulgar and uninformed 

 mind. In spite of the ill success of Mr. Erskine's 

 bill, the attempt conferred infinite moral benefits on 

 the country. From that period men began to think, 

 and the grosser sports and trespasses on the feelings 

 of animals became somewhat on the decline. Many 

 of those dens of torture and horror, in which that 

 -minion of cruelty, the bearish and surly Broughton 

 and his myrmidons, had used to officiate, under the 

 highest patronage, were shut up and deserted; al- 

 though we have yet too many of our modern pits, 

 where the rising generation are initiated in that kind 

 of morality. About the same time also, the abomi- 

 nation of throwing at cocks in Shrovetide, with several 

 other antique national barbarisms and fooleries, began 

 to be discontinued, and, it may be hoped, are now 

 nearly forgotten.. 



In the year 1822, arose another humane and consi- 

 derate advocate for the claims of animals on our 

 national justice, in the person of Richard Martin, 

 Esq. of Galway, M. P. From the favourable change 





