322 LECTURE VII. 



without the extinction of a single species. 

 AW animals seem also to be put under the 

 dominion of man j and as his species mul- 

 tiplies, it fosters and feeds the useful and 

 innocent, and destroys those of a contrary 

 character. 



From observing the art with which pre- 

 daceous animals entrap their prey, and 

 the fury with which they destroy it, some 

 are inclined to represent the scheme of 

 Nature as one of fraud and rapine. Yet, 

 surely, it is better that animals should sud- 

 denly perish for the good of others, than 

 that they should be doomed to linger, and 

 ultimately to starve, from that want which 

 excess of multiplication must necessarily 

 produce. Be it also remembered, that 

 many of these creatures have little sensation, 

 that all are far less sensitive than man, and 

 that they neither anticipate the future, nor 

 reflect on the past ; so that their sufferings 

 are transient, and necessary to general 

 good. There are some who are inclined to 

 represent the sufferings of animals as cala- 

 mitous ; but surely they have not consi- 



