294 THE ETHICAL KINSHIP 



desolation in the world ? To place temptations in 

 the way of fur-bearing animals and induce them 

 to enter carefully concealed traps, and then allow 

 them to remain in the villainous clutches of these 

 devices, not minutes, but hours, perhaps days, 

 until it suits the convenience of the ensnarer to 

 knock out their brains, or until, crazed by pain, 

 the poor wretches eat off their own limbs and 

 escape — is not this a monstrous thing to do ? 



Oh that men everywhere were moved by the 

 deep tenderness and the all-embracing sympathy 

 of poor Robert Burns, who could apologise with 

 real feeling to a frightened field-mouse whom he 

 had accidentally upturned with his plough. 



* Wee, sleekit, cow'rin', tim'rous beastie, 

 O, what a panic's in thy breastie 1 

 Thou needna start awa' sae hasty, 



Wi' bick'ring brattle ! 

 I wad be laith to rin and chase thee, 

 Wi' murd'rous pattle I 



* Tm truly sorry man's dominion 

 Has broken nature's social union, 

 And justifies that ill opinion 



Which makes thee startle 

 At me, thy poor, earth-born companion, 

 And fellow-mortal.' 



Long ago it was said, and truthfully, that the 

 merciful man is merciful to his ox. The truly 

 kind man, the truly honest and the truly humane 

 man, is not kind and honest and humane to men 

 only, but to all beings — to the humble and lowly 

 as well as to the proud and powerful — to all that 

 have the misfortune to feel and iiiotmi- Benevolence 



