THE RAIN-DEER. 331 



fiftence there, nor be able to refift the rigours of 

 the froft. It would have been neceffary to fe- 

 led: from the deeped roreils thofe fpecies of ani- 

 mals which are leaft wild and moft profitable. 

 The Laplanders have a&ually done what we 

 would be obliged to do, if all our cattle were 

 deftroyed. To fupply their place, it would then 

 be neceflary to tame the itags and roebucks of 

 our woods, and to render them domeftic. This 

 end, I am perfuaded, might be eahly accompliih- 

 ed ; and we mould foon derive as much benefit 

 from thefe animals, as the Laplanders do from 

 their rain-deer. This example iliould lead us 

 to admire the unbounded liberality of Nature. 

 We ufe not one half of the treasures me prefents 

 to us ; for her refources are inexhauftible. She 

 has given us the horfe, the ox, the fheep, and 

 other domeftic animals, to ferve, to nouriih,and 

 to clothe us ; and h\e has other fpecies ftill in 

 referve, which might fupply the want of the 

 former: Thefe we have only to fubdue, and to 

 render them fubfervient to our purpofea. IVlaii 

 is equally ignorant of the powers of Nature, and 

 of his own capacity to modify and improve her 

 productions. Inftead of making new refearches. 

 he is continually abufing the little knowledge 

 he has acquired. 



By eftimating the advantages the Laplanders 

 derive from the rain-deer, we mall find that this 

 animal is worth two or three of our domeftic 

 animals. They ufe him as a horfe in drawing 



fledges 



