356 ACTIONS 



to that substance. Thus, when we see a horse 

 start off upon the ground, a bird in the air, or a 

 fish in the water, it having been previously in a 

 state of rest, we say there is a power of running 

 in the horse, of flying in the bird, and of swim- 

 ming in the fish ; and though the original word 

 animal probably expresses " to breathe," or " that 

 which breathes," our common understanding of 

 it is so much associated with the fact of moving 

 without being forced on by any other piece of 

 matter previously in motion, that we consider life 

 itself as having some relation to motion ; for we 

 call that which is quick " animated or lively." 



And this liveliness of most of the animals, with 

 which we are familiar, (though there are some 

 that have very little of it) gives a charm to the 

 observation of animals far greater than we feel in 

 that of any other of the productions of nature. 

 The most magnificent tree, or the most beautiful 

 flower, is but a denizen of one little spot of earth; 

 but a quadruped can range the whole country, a 

 bird cross the seas, and a fish circumnavigate the 

 globe. There is a notion of freedom about them, 

 and that is always an inviting notion. 



Besides there 'is an apparent communicativeness 

 in animals, which we cannot trace in any thing 

 else. Every thing that we can know about the 

 other productions of nature, we must find out by 

 labour, or wait for with patience, till the "creeping 

 pace of Time " (which always appears slow when 

 our wish is fast) brings it about. But the animal 

 comes forward and tells its 6wn story, thereby 

 placing us in the easy situation of spectators at a 

 dramatic representation ; and then, the acting of 



