230 On Twiis Sheep* 



are the companions of their protector, — man ; and are 

 always near them. Dogs, 'tis true, are often tutored to 

 guard them ; as Arabia?! robbers are engaged to protect 

 Caravans^ from other banditti. But among dogs, their 

 foes far out number their friends. Wolves are forever 

 prowling after them, in all countries. Yet every where 

 they lap their ears ; though every where, there are un- 

 ceasing occasions for erecting them ; were the capacity 

 of so doing in their nature. It does not appear that their 

 causes of apprehension, cease with domestication. 



I have dilated on this subject, not merely for the sake 

 of discussion ; but to prevent (as far as in my small 

 powers lies) the lap -ear sharing the fate of the broad- 

 tail: and (as a guardian to my dumb wards,) to rescue 

 the animal from the imputation of not being one of 

 God's creatures, *' brought forth after its A^mJ,"— but 

 a factitious product " whimsically" formed by the in- 

 tervention of " the art of man." — And yet, I feel a little 

 ashamed of taking any pains to prove, what seems self- 

 evident.^ 



Richard Peters. 

 May 22d, 1810. 



* It is as difficult as vain, to oppose serious refutation to 

 fanciful conjecture. I have therefore, as much as possible, 

 avoided it. Those the best qualified in grave and logical dis- 

 cussions would only excite a smile, by applying them in op- 

 position to Lord Monhoddo's phantasm of the human taiU 

 No one would gravely combat an hypothetical assertion, that, 

 because a negro appears a variety of the human species, he 

 is an hybridous African animal. Indeed, those of this race 

 have been treated as if it really were so : save that the " art 



