466 T H E P H I L O S O P H Y 



nerous minds, who willingly facrifice part of their own intereft to 

 that of their friends. 



With regard to the charaders of quadrupeds, befide the fpecific 

 difpofitions which diftinguifli the different kinds, each individual pof- 

 fefles a peculiar charader by which it may be difcriminated from 

 any other. Thefe individual chavaders may be difcovered not only 

 by the afped, but by the a£tions of animals. Some dogs, even of 

 the fame race, are furly, churlifh, and revengeful. Others are gay^ 

 frolickfome, and friendly. The countenances of men, which always 

 indicate fome part of their original and genuine charader, are as 

 various as their numbers. Though lefs fubjedt to general cbferva- 

 tion, Nature has marked the countenances of every animal, even 

 down to the infed tribes, with fome charaderiftic ftrokes, which 

 enable them to diftinguifh one another, and even to contrad parti- 

 cular attachments. To us, the fmall birds, fuch as fparrows and 

 linnets, appear to be fo perfedly fimilar, that, though we had an 

 opportunity of feeing great numbers of them colleded in one place, 

 it would require much time and attention to be enabled to make in- 

 dividual diftindions. After they have brought up their young, they 

 aflbciate promifcuoufly in flocks ; but, when the genial fpring ar- 

 rives, a different fcene is exhibited. The flocks difappear. Each 

 male has feleded, courted, and retired with a female to build a neft, 

 to hatch eggs, and to nourifh and fupport their young. If Nature 

 had not ftamped upon every individual a peculiar mark, it would 

 be impoffible that the immenfe multitudes who pair, or join 

 in matrimony, fhould be capable of diftinguifhing and adhering 

 faithfully to one another. A fhepherd, who has been long accuf- 

 tomed to fuperintend a numerous flock, knows, by the countenan- 

 ces, and other natural or accidental marks, every individual. I knew 

 a fhepherd, who not only diftinguifhed every individual of above 

 two hundred Iheep, but gave to each a particular name. 



The 



