THE ELEPHANT. 5 



inftead of an arm and a hand; and by it he is 

 enabled to raife and lay hold of fmall as well as 

 of large objects, to carry them to his mouth, to 

 place them on his back, to embrace them faft, 

 or to throw them at a diftance. He has, at the 

 fame time, the docility of the dog, and, like that 

 animal, he is fufceptible of gratitude, capable of 

 attachment, is eafily accuftomed to man, fubmits 

 lefs by force than good treatment, ferves him 

 with zeal, fidelity, knowledge, &c. In fine, 

 the elephant, like the beaver, loves the fociety 

 of his equals, and can make himfelf to be under- 

 ftood by them. They are often obferved to af- 

 femble together, to difperfe, and to acvt in con- 

 cert ; and, if they receive no mutual edification, 

 if they carry on no common operation, it muft, 

 perhaps, be afcribed to the want of room and of 

 tranquility; for men have been very anciently 

 multiplied in all the countries inhabited by the 

 elephant ; he is, therefore, perpetually difturb- 

 ed, and is no where a peaceable poflefTor of 

 fufficient fpace to eftablifh a fecure abode. We 

 have feen, that all thefe advantages are necef- 

 fary to unfold the talents of the beaver, and that, 

 in every place frequented by men, he lofes his 

 induftry, and receives no edification from afTo- 

 ciating. Every being has its relative value in 

 Nature. To form a juft eflimation of the ele- 

 phant, he muft be allowed to pofleisthe fagacity 

 of the beaver, the addrefs of the ape, the fentiment 

 of the dog, together with the peculiar advanta- 



A 3 ges 



