THE ELEPHANT. 17 



chains, and fetters of every kind, are neceffary 

 to reprefs their movements, and to allay their 

 rage. Hence they differ from all other domeftic 

 animals, who are managed by men as if they 

 had no will of their own. They are not of the 

 number of thofe born flaves, which we propa- 

 gate, mutilate, or multiply, purely toanfwerour 

 own purpofes. Here the individual alone is a 

 Have. The fpecies remain independent, and u- 

 niformly refufe to augment the flores of their 

 tyrants. This circumftance mows the elephant 

 to be endowed with fentiments fuperior to the 

 nature of common brutes. To feel the moll 

 ardent paffion, and, at the fame time, to deny 

 the gratification of it, to experience all the fury 

 of love, and not to tranfgrefs the laws of mode- 

 fty, are, perhaps, the higheft efforts of human 

 virtue ; and yet, in thefe majeftic animals, th< 

 are only common and uniform exertions. The 

 indignation they feel, becaufe they cannot I 

 gratified in fecret, becomes ftronger than the 

 paffion of love, fufpends and deftroys the effects 

 of it, and, at the fame time, excites that fury, 

 which, during thefe paroxyfms, renders them 

 more dangerous than any wild animal. 



We are inclined, were it pofiible, to doubt of 

 this fact ; but all naturalilts, hiftorians, and tra- 

 vellers, concur in affuring us, that the elephants 

 never produce in a domeftic Mate *. The Prin- 

 Vol. VI. B ccs 



* It is remarkable, that 'A\c male never covers the female, 

 though fiie indicates the ftrongef] - e, to fituations 



■: re 



