378 THEPHILOSOPHY 



ter this period, hiftory informs us, that the firft heroes were deftroy- 

 ers of wild beafts. But, after the human fpecies had multiplied, 

 and fpread over the earth, and when, by means of fociety and the 

 arts, man was enabled to conquer a confiderable part of the globe, he 

 forced the wild beads gradually to retire to the deferts. He cleared 

 the earth of thofe gigantic animals who, perhaps, now no longer ex- 

 ift, but whofe enormous bones are ftill found in different regions, 

 and are preferved in the cabinets of the curious. He reduced the 

 numbers of t?he voracious and noxious fpecies. He oppofed the pow- 

 ers and the dexterity of one animal to thofe of another. Some he 

 fubdued by addrefs, and others by force. In this manner he, in 

 procefs of time, acquired to himfelf perfed fecurity, and eftablifhed 

 an empire that has no other limits than inacceflible folitudes, burn- 

 ing fands, frozen mountains, or obfcure caverns, which are occupied 

 as retreats by a few fpecies of ferocious animals. 



Next to tnan, the carnivorous quadrupeds are the moft numerous 

 and the moft deftrudive. Different parts of the earth are infefted 

 with lions, tigers, panthers, ounces, leopards, jaguars, couguars, 

 lynxes, wild cats, dogs, jackals, wolves, foxes, hyaenas, civets, genets, 

 polecats, martins, ferrets, ermines, gluttons, bats, &c. Though all 

 thefe, and many other tribes of quadrupeds, live folely upon blood 

 and carnage, yet fome of them, as the tiger, the wolf, the hyaena, 

 and many other inferior fpecies, are much more rapacious and de- 

 ftrudive than others. The lion, though furrounded with prey, kills 

 no more than he is able to confume. But the tiger is grofsly fero- 

 cious, and cruel without necefTity. Though fatiated with carnage, 

 he perpetually thirds for blood. His reftlefs fury has no intervals,^ 

 except when he is obliged to lie in ambufh for prey at the fides of 

 lakes or rivers, to which other animals refort for drink. He feizes 

 and 'ears in pieces a frefh animal with equal rage as he exerted in 

 devouring the firft. He defolates every country that he inhabits, 



and 



