L I O 
to Turkey, Perfia, and the Indies, where Lions 
are much lefs frequent than in ancient times. Nor 
is it difficult to affign a reafon for this diminution: 
it is obvious that it cannot originate from the in- 
creafe of the force of other quadrupeds, fince they 
are all inferior to the Lion ; and confequcntly, in- 
ftead of leffening the number, only tend to aug- 
ment the fupplies on which it fubfifts: it muft 
therefore be occafioned by the increafe of the hu- 
man fpecies, who are the only animals in nature 
capable of oppofing thefe tyrants of the foreft, 
and preventing their multiplication. The arms 
even of a negro or a Hottentot render him more 
than a match for this formidable creature i and 
they feldom make the attack without coming off 
vi6lorious. Their ufual manner is to find out 
the Lion's retreat ; and then, with fpears headed 
with iron, to provoke him to the combat. Four 
men are confidered as fufficient for this encounter; 
and he v/hom the animal firft attacks, receives him 
on his fpear, v/hile the others aflfault him behind. 
The Lion, perceiving himfelf wounded in the rear, 
turns that way, and thus gives the perfon he firft 
attacked an opportunity to recover. In this way 
they alTail him on all fides; till at laft being en- 
tirely difabled, they difpatch him. 
This fuperiority of man with refpedl to numbers 
and affiduity, which has impaired the force of the 
Lion, has likewife enervated his courage. Amono- 
animals, this latter quality, though natural, rifes 
and falls, according as the exertions of their 
ftrength are fuccefsful or abortive. In the vaft 
defarts of Zaara; in the burning fands fituated be- 
tween Mauritania and Negroland ; in thofe folitary 
regions which lie to the north of Cafraria ; and, in 
genera], in all the defarts of Africa where mian has 
not fixed his habitation; Lions are found in great 
numbers, and preferve their native courage and 
impetuofity. Accuftomed to meafure their own 
Ilrength by that of every animal they meet, the ha- 
bit of conquering renders them intrepid and terri- 
ble. Being ignorant of the power of man, they 
are not afraid to encounter him; and having never 
experienced the force of his arms, they hold them 
in defiance. Wounds enrage, but do not terrify 
them. They are not difcouraged even by the op- 
pofition of numbers : a fingle Lion of the defart 
often attacks an entire caravan ; and, after an ob- 
ftinate engagement, in which he has been over- 
powered, inftead of flying, he continues to face his 
enemies till the very laft gafp. On the contrary, 
thofe Lions which inhabit the peopled countries 
of Morocco and India, having experienced the 
fuperior power of man, have loft all their courage; 
are frightened away even by a fliout; and feldom 
attack any but the unrefifting herds or flocks, 
which even women and children are capable of 
Jl 
protefling. 
This alteration in the difpofition of the Lion 
indicates that he is kifceptible of the iinprefilons 
he receives ; and that he muft poflTefs a docility fuf- 
ficient to render him tameable to a certain degree, 
and to admit of a fpecies of education : and hiftory 
informs us, that Lions have been yoked in trium- 
phal cars, and conduced to the battle or the chace ; 
and that, faithful to their mafters, they have never 
exerted their ftrength or courage but in oppofition 
to the common enemy. Nothing, indeed, is more 
common, than for the keepers of wild beafts to 
play v/ith this animal, to pull out his tongue, and 
even ro chaftife him without a caufc: he feems to 
bear fuch ufage with the utmoft compofurei 
Inftances of his revenging thofc' unprovoked fallies 
of impertinent cruelty but leldom occur. How- 
ever, when his rage is once excited, the confe- 
quences are terrible. Labat informs us that a 
certain gentleman kept a Lion in his own cham- 
ber, and employed a fervant to attend ic; and that 
he, as is ufual, mixed blows with his carefi^es. This 
ill-judged aflxDciation continued for fome time; 
till one morning the gentleman was awakened by 
a noife in his apartment, for which, at the firft, he 
could not afTign a caufe; but, on drawing the 
bed-curtains, he beheld a moft horrid fpeftacle, 
the Lion growling over the fervant's head, which 
he had fevered from the body, and tofilng it round 
the floor. He thereupon immediately ran into 
the next room, and calling for afllftance, had the 
animal fecured from doing farther mifchief. This 
fingle account, however, is not fufficient to weigh 
againft the various inftances of this creature's m^ild- 
nefs and fubmiffion: he is often bred up with 
other domeftic animals, and obferved to play in- 
nocently and familiarly among them; and, if it 
ever happens that his native ferocity returns, he 
feldom exerts it againft his benefaftors. But as 
his paffions are ftrong, and his appetites vehement, 
it is not to be expelled that the impreffions of 
education will always prevail : it would therefore 
be dangerous, in fuch circumiftances, to fufirr him 
to remain too long without food, or to perfift in 
irritating and abufing hirn; though numberlefs 
accounts afiaire us, that his anger is noble, his cou- 
rage magnanimous, and his difpofition grateful. 
He has often been known to diidain the infults, 
and to pardon the inofl^enfive liberties, of feeble 
enemies. He has alfo been known to fpare the 
lives of thofe that have been thrown to be devoured 
by him; to live peaceably with them; to afford 
them a part of his fubfiftence; and fometimes to 
refrain from food himfelf, rather than deprive 
them of that life which his former generofity 
had fpared. 
The Lion cannot juftly be branded with cruelty, 
fince he a6ls from neceffity, and kills no more 
than what he confumes ; while the tiger, the wolf, 
and the hysna, with many other inferior fpecies, 
fuch as the fox, the marten, the pole-cat, and the 
ferret, kill without remorfe, are fierce without 
caufe, and, by their indifcriminate flaughter, feem 
rather to fatisfy their malignity than their hunger. 
The external appearance of the Lion detracts 
not from the noble and generous qualities of his 
mind. His figure is ftriking, his look confident 
and bold, his gait proud, and his voice terrible. 
His ftature is not overgrown, like that of the ele- 
phant or the rhinoceros: nor is his fhape clumify, 
like that of the hippopotamos, or the ox; it is corn- 
pad, well-proportioned, and fizeable; a perfect 
model of ftrength combined with agility. Equally 
folid and fpringy, neither loaded with fat nor 
fiefti, and containing nothing fuperfluous, it feems 
entirely conftituted of nerves and mufcles : this 
prodigious mufcular force is manifefted by the 
liirprizing leaps and bounds which he performs 
with eafe; by the briflc movements of his tail, a 
fingle fvv'eep of which is able to proftrate the 
ftrongeft man ; by the facility v/ith which he moves 
the fkin of his face, which heightens the expreffion 
of fury; and, laftly, by the power of lhaking the 
hair of his mane, which he not only erefts, but 
agitates on all fides, when incenfed. Indeed, a 
bare fight of this noble animal is fufficient to con- 
vince us of his fuperior force : his large head, fur - 
