366 ON THE 



ation, which, from our present experience we find 

 he was destined to reach. 



In examining some of the living animals be- 

 longing to the order of FercB, and those the most 

 dangerous to the human person, we cannot but 

 be struck with the beauty and proportions which 

 nature has bestowed on their external form ; and 

 how often in the more useful animals, as in the 

 Elephant, the Camel, the Ass, and the like, she 

 has given an unseemly exterior. For in what 

 animal do we see, so dignified a countenance, so 

 noble a mane and chest, and limbs so powerful 

 and well proportioned, as in the Lion? or where 

 do we find a skin so beautifully variegated, cover- 

 ing a body and frame so vigorous and over- 

 whelming, as in the Tiger ; who by one single 

 stroke of his foot, can beat to the ground an ani- 

 mal larger than himself, and by one bound can 

 make a leap, equal to the swiftest of the animal 

 species ? and if we descend to animals of the 

 smaller tribes, we have the Panther, the Leopard, 

 and the Tiger Cat, as specimens of beauty, rare- 

 ly to be equalled by any other portion of the 

 quadruped race. For though among our domes- 

 tic animals, as the Dog, the Horse, and some of 

 the Goat and Deer species, we find many cau- 

 ses in their figure for our admiration ; yet these 

 bear no proportion in those external marks of 

 beauty, by which the animals above alluded to, 

 are to be distinguished. 



