THE FOX. 



235 



second- cousin to the wolf ; seeing that all three 

 will generate hydrophobia, and communicate it 

 far and wide : — even to man himself, as I myself 

 can testify, by several personal investigations. 



Common opinion seems to concur in attributing 

 to the fox, an extraordinary amount of cunning, 

 " as cunning as a fox still, I am not prepared 

 to concede this prerogative to the fox alone, par 

 excellence, as I am acquainted with many other 

 animals capable of disputing the prize with it. 

 Perhaps, people are inclined to give it more credit 

 for cunning, than they do to other animals, on 

 account of the singular formation of its head and 

 face, which, according to our own notions of 

 physiognomy, indicate the powers of cunning. 



Be this as it may, so long as England lasts, the 

 general opinion will be, that the fox is a sly, 

 cautious, prying and calculating animal. However, 

 endow it with whatever superior faculties you choose, 

 it has no claim to rationality. Some of its actions 

 are certainly so clever, that you feel quite inclined 

 to raise it to a rank, above that of its fellow brutes ; 

 whilst others again, are so absurd, and so devoid 

 of anything like design, that you must absolutely 

 change the favourable opinion which you have 

 entertained of its abilities, and lower its intellect 

 to that of the surrounding quadrupeds. When the 



