ANIMALS. 279 



while the animal race is of the smaller : but man has altered 

 this disposition of nature ; having, in a great measure, levelled 

 the extensive forests, cultivated the softer and finer vegetables, 

 destroyed the numberless tribes of minute and noxious animals, 

 and taken every method to increase a numerous breed of the 

 larger kinds. He thus has exercised a severe control ; unpeo- 

 pled nature, to embellish it, and diminished the size of the vege- 

 table, in order to improve that of the animal kingdom. 



To subdue the earth to his own use, was, and ought to be, the 

 aim of man ; which was only to be done by increasing the num- 

 ber of plants, and diminishing that of animals : to multiply exis- 

 tence alone, was that of the Deity. For this reason, we find, 

 in a stale of nature, that animal life is increased to the greatest 

 quantity possible ; and, we can scarcely form a system that could 

 add to its numbers. First, plants, or trees, are provided by na- 

 ture of the largest kinds ; and, consequently, the nourishing sur- 

 face is thus extended. In the second place, there are animals 

 peculiar to every part of the vegetable, so that no part of it is 

 lost But the greatest possible increase of life would still be 

 deficient, were there not other animals that lived upon animals ; 

 and these are, themselves, in turn, food for some other greater 

 and stronger set of creatures. Were all animals to live upon 

 vegetables alone, thousands would be extinct that now have ex- 

 istence, as the quantity of their provision would shortly fail. 

 But, as things are wisely constituted, one animal now supports 

 another ; and thus, all take up less room than they would by 

 living on the same food ; as, to make use of a similar instance, 

 a greater num.ber of people maybe crowded into the same space, 

 if each is made to bear his fellow upon his shoulders. 



To diminish the number of animals and increase that of vege- 

 tables, has been the general scope of human industry ; and if we 

 compare the utility of the kinds, with respect to man, we shall 

 find, that of the vast variety in the animal kingdom, but very 

 few are serviceable to him ; and, in the vegetable, but very few 

 are entirely noxious. How small a part of the insect tribes, for 

 instance, are beneficial to mankind, and what numbers are in- 

 jurious ! In some countries they almost darken the air : a can- 

 dle cannot be lighted without their instantly flying u[)on it, and 

 Dotting out the flame. ' The closest recesses are no safegaard 



1 Ulloa's Dtsi-ription <if GnayHquil. 

 2 A -2 



