46 THE POWER OF KINDNESS. 



Killing a monkey is always a pitiful business, for it is so much like an act of murdef 

 committed on a human being. Many are the travellers who, urged either by anger, 

 curiosity, scientific researches, or innate destructiveness, have destroyed these animals, 

 and have been so stricken by remorse at the effect of their cruelty, that they have 

 vowed never to kill another monkey as long as they lived. There are several most 

 touching narratives of such scenes, but they are so trying to the feelings, that I can 

 neither bring myself to write them, nor to inflict such tragical tales on my readers. It 

 were much to be wished that men could read the effects of their cruelty in the eyes of 

 other animals except the monkeys, and would bind themselves never to inflict one un- 

 necessary pang upon any living creature. Surely no wounded monkey could look at 

 its tormentor with more pitiful eyes than those of the over-laden and over-driven ass, 

 or even the neglected and ill-treated dog. These latter animals, too, are always with 

 us, and need not only the cessation of actual cruelty, but even the gift of human sym- 

 pathies, before they can take their proper place in creation, and become the true serv- 

 ants and companions of man. It rests with man, who gave names to all living beings, 

 to complete the work which God began in making them, and by stooping from his own 

 superior nature, to be a protecting and loving providence to the beings that are placed 

 under him. By so doing, man draws out, fosters, and develops the better nature which 

 is inherent in every animal, and which would remain concealed, like a seed in ice- 

 bound soil, unless it were brought into vigorous life by the genial influence of a higher 

 being. I cannot believe that any animal is utterly untameable, and so totally brutish 

 as to be insensible to the touch of kindness. There are many animals which are 

 proof against the old-fashioned way of education, and which are only rendered more 

 fierce and obstinate by the tortures and blows which were formerly so freely bestowed 

 on animals in course of training. But these very animals have proved to be sensitive 

 to gentle and kind treatment, and, though fierce and savage towards one who only 

 approached in order to torment, became docile and subdued when in the hands of a 

 tender and sympathetic owner. 



The same rule holds good with human beings ; and the great and beautiful truth 

 becomes daily more apparent, that seventy of punishment has an injurious rather than 

 a beneficial effect, and that the only true rule is that of love. 



The Grivets and Vervets are frequent visitors to our land ; and being extremely in- 

 quisitive in character, as well as active in body, play strange pranks in their land of 

 exile. One of these creatures which resided in London some few years ago, caused 

 considerable annoyance to his neighbors, one of whom very kindly favored me with 

 the following account of some of his misdemeanors. 



" A few years ago, we lived next door to a lady who had a pet monkey, which was 

 one of the most imitative and mischievous little beings that ever existed. His imita- 

 tive nature caused the servants so much trouble, that he had not a friend among those 

 of his own house. 



" One day he observed the ladies'-maid washing her mistresses' lace ; and his offers 

 of assistance having been somewhat roughly repulsed by her, chattering and scolding 

 he went forth in search of adventures. Unfortunately, my windows were invitingly 

 open, and he entered, with the idea of washing fresh in his head. 



" His spirit of curiosity induced him to open two small drawers, from which he ab- 

 stracted their whole contents, consisting of lace, ribbons, and handkerchiefs. He 

 placed these things in a foot-pan, together with all the water and soap that happened 

 to be in the room, and he must then have washed away with great vigor ; for when I 

 returned to my room, after an absence of an hour or so, to my astonishment, I found 

 him busily engaged in his laundry operations, spreading the torn and disfigured rem- 

 nants to dry. He was well aware that he was doing wrong, for without my speaking 

 to him, he made off the moment he saw me, going very quickly and hiding himself in 

 the case of the kitchen clock in his own home. 



" By this act, the servants knew he had been doing mischief, as this was his place 

 of refuge when he was in trouble or disgrace. 



" One day he watched the cook while she was preparing some partridges for dinner, 

 and I suppose that in his own mind he considered that all birds ought to be so treated, for 



