The high Estimation of Broad-tailed Sheep. ii 



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The Israelites y^^YQ expressly enjoined to select the best parts 

 of the victims for the sacrifices ; but he cites Tertullian t6 

 reproach the Pagans^ who placed on the altars ol their false 

 gods the worthless parts, and reserved the best ior them- 

 selves ; contrary to their own sense of propriety. He shews 

 that the sheep of Syria^ Arabia^ Persia and the African 

 sheep generally, were of the broad-tailed race ; and that the 

 tails of other sheep were not worthy of consecration. The 

 Hebrew word for the Laticauda is nbK — Aliah ; but that for 

 the tails of other animals is i:r — Zanab ; and the modern Ara- 

 bians preserve the same distinction. In Greek versions, the 

 word oa(^lv^ and not ks^hoo-, or «f<x, is used ior the Laticauda, He 

 describes the varieties of the Lauticaudce ; and adds — *' sunt 

 hujus modi caudae delicatissimus cibus."—- The tails of these 

 sheep are the most delicate food : — and as such were worthy of 

 being devoted to the altar, — to fulfill the express injunctions of 

 the scriptures. He produces authority from ancient writers to 

 shew, that, according to the Jewish customs and rites, these 

 Laticaudce^ being '•'■partes opimas victhnarxim^'^ (the richest 

 parts of the victims) were thus devoted. So that we find a 

 more dignified and pious use for the Laticauda than that 

 of furnishing " plenty of grease for the toilet and the kitchen," 

 of a squalid tender of sheep. 



Under the old dispensation, the Israelites were bound to 

 sacrifice the best parts of the victims : but xve are now only 

 called upon to lay on the altar, (not in honour of our creator, 

 but for our own purification) the worst parts of ourselves. 

 And notwithstanding it is a religious and moral duty, to sacri- 

 fice, among those parts, an unwarrantable thirst for gain ; yet 

 this selfish indulgence sometimes benefits society; although the 

 sophisms of the author of the " Fable of the Bees^"* are not 

 generally justified. The high prices obtained for merinos have 

 roused American enterprize. This crouds into our ports, and 

 plentifully adds to the wealth of our country (procured from 

 the wrecks of the fortunes of their former European proprie- 



