ANIMALS. 371 



Of all the senses, perhaps, there is not one in which man is 

 more inferior to other animals than in that of smelling. With 

 man, it is a sense that acts in a narrow sphere, and disgusts al- 

 most as frequently as it gives him pleasiu'e. With many other 

 animals it is diffused to a very great extent ; and never seems 

 to offend them. Dogs not only trace the steps of other animals, 

 but also discover them by the scent at a very great distance ; 

 and while they are thus exquisitely sensible of all smells, they 

 seem no way disgusted by any. 



Jiut, although this sense is, in general, so very inferior in man, 

 it is much stronger in those nations that abstain from animal 

 food, than among Europeans. The Bramins of Indiahave a power 

 of smelling, as I am informed, equal to what it is in other crea- 

 tures. They ean smell the water which they drink, that to us 

 seems quite inodorous ; and have a word, in their language, 

 which denotes a country of line water. We are told also, that 

 the negroes of the Antilles, by the srriell alone, can distinguish 

 between the footsteps of a Frenchman and a negro. It is pos- 

 sible, therefore, that we may dull this organ by our luxurious 

 way of living ; and sacrifice to the pleasures of taste, those 

 which might be received from perfume. 



However, it is a sense that we can, in some measure, dis 

 pense with ; and I have known many that wanted it entirely, 

 with but very little inconvenience from its loss In a state of na- 

 ture it is said to be useful in guiding us to proper nourishment, 

 and deterring us from that which is unwholesome ; but, in our 

 present situation, such information is but little wanted j and, in- 

 deed, but little attended to. In fact, the sense of smelling 

 gives us very often false intelligence. Many things that have 

 a disagreeable odour, are, nevertheless, wholesome and pleasant 

 to the taste ; and such as make eating an art, seldom think a 

 meal fit to please the appetite, till it begins to offend the nose. 

 On the other hand, there are many things that smell most 

 gratefully, and yet are noxious, or fatal to the constitution. 

 Some j)hysicians think that perfumes in general are unwhole- 

 some ; that they relax the nerves, produce headaches, and even 

 retard digestion. The maiichineel apple, which is known to be 

 deadly poison, is possessed of the most grateful odour. Some 

 o'' those mineral vapours that are often found fatal in the sto- 

 mach, smell like the sweetest fiuwers, and continue thus to Hatter 



