2 9 o NATURAL HISTORY 
another for it ? No. This variety then is doubtlefs intended for 
the fake of man, to prevent confufion, and decide and afcertain 
his property. As our next following fubjeCt therefore is man, it 
may not be amifs here to recollect the connexion and dependance 
which all the brute creation have upon him, and obferve, that 
they are formed and adapted both by the properties of their 
bodies and mind to promote the labours, the food, the cioathing, 
the paftime, the fafety, and delight of man : A great number of 
them cannot fubfift in the winter, in ftorms and inundations, with- 
out the provident care of man ; their refpedtive excellencies, like 
metals in the mine, are of no benefit to the world, unlefs they are 
conducted and applied by man ; they are of little ufe or pleafure to 
one the other, or to themfelves, but for food and increafe, of which 
the more greedy they are, they are but the more conducive to the 
advantage of man. I would not be thought to intimate, that they 
are meer machines, or that the only intent of their creation was to 
be fubfervient to man : God defigned them no doubt to dilplay his 
glory, and to be happy in their degree, and it is cruelty in man to 
give them pain wantonly, to impofe labour without meafure, and 
with-hold food and jfhelter from them without compafiion ; but 
their feveral properties plainly fhew that they were defigned to fill 
up the vacancies, if I may fay fo, of human nature. If man had the 
ftrength of an elephant or an ox, or fwiftnefs of a horfe, man muft 
have had the limbs and fhape too, the fame bones and mufcles. 
How much better is it now ordained ? Man has not that ftrength 
and fwiftnefs in his own perfon, but he knows where to find it, 
and when and whither to direCt it : he has that reafon which gives 
him the command not only of his own excellently conftituted body, 
but of the luperior ftrength and fwiftnefs for which other bodies are 
better prepared, though infinitely fhort of the endowments of the 
human body. How orderly and proportioned to the necefiities of 
human nature do the brutes come in, all in their turn, to fupply 
what man wants ; fome by their ftrength and vigour s alfift him in 
works neceftary or ornamental, yet beyond the reach of human 
force without fuch aids ; fome, by their fwiftnefs as well as ftrength , 
transfer him from place to place for the fake of bufinefs, or plea- 
fure, or devotion ; thofe remarkable for extraordinary fiercenefs 1 as 
well as ftrength (that they may not annoy and impede him in his 
defigns), like noxious, poifonous herbs, are fcarce, and far removed 
into fpacious and fcarce habitable deferts ; there they have their ufe, 
feeding where, and on what other creatures will not, clearing the 
air of the infedious fteam of carcaftes, and leaft tuey fhould mul- 
h The horfe, the dromedary, rain-deer, &c. 
tiply 
s The horfe, the ox, the afs, the camel. 
1 Lion, panther, leopard, ike. 
