THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ALTRUISM 309 



no one of them, not even the most recreant, could 

 find pleasure in such work. How painful to a 

 person of tenderness and enlightenment is even 

 the thought of rabbit-shootings, duck-slaughterings, 

 bear-hunts, quail-killing expeditions, tame pigeon 

 massacres, and the like ! And yet with what 

 light-hearted enthusiasm the mindless ruffians who 

 do these atrocious things enter upon them ! One 

 would think that grown men would be ashamed 

 to arm themselves and go out with horses and 

 hounds and engage in such babyish and unequal 

 contests as sportsmen usually rely on for their 

 peculiar ' glory.' And they would be if grown 

 men were not so often simply able-bodied bullies. 

 If human beings could only realise what it means to 

 J live in a world and associate day after day with other 

 beings more intelligent and powerful than themselves, 

 and yet be regarded by these more intelligent indi- 

 ■ viduals simply as merchandise to be bought and sold, 

 I or as targets to be shot at, they would hide their guilty 

 heads in shame and horror. 



The Being from whose breaking heart gushed 

 these lines of sorrow and sympathy on seeing a 

 wounded hare was a god : 



* Inhuman man ! curse on thy barbarous art, 



And blasted be thy murder-aiming eye : 

 May never pity soothe thee with a sigh, / 



Nor ever pleasure glad thy cruel heart ! 



* Go, live, poor wanderer of the wood and fielb 



The bitter little that of life remains ; 

 No more the thickening brakes and verdant plains 

 To thee shall home, or food, or pastime yield. 



