REVIEW— THE ELYSIUM OF ANIMALS. 
655 
our peaceful retreat, which the all-wise Author of Nature has 
been pleased to provide as the immortal abode of those animals 
who have consummated their earthly career in that world which 
a too indulgent Providence has committed to the capricious and 
mischievous control of thy unfeeling race ? Know, rash mortal, 
that this happy island is the elysium of those creatures which 
man, the self-styled i Lord of the Creation/ in the vanity of his 
heart, calls ‘ Irrational brutes/ Instant death ought to be the 
penalty of this unhallowed intrusion into our blessed sanctuary; 
but, that thou mayest know that our race do not, like thine, in- 
flict pain or death out of mere wantonness, it has been unanim- 
ously resolved by the immense multitude by which thou art sur- 
rounded, that thou shalt be permitted to plead thine own cause, 
and, if possible, extenuate the crime thou hast committed in 
thus breaking in upon our happy sanctuary where we daily offer 
up thanksgiving to our Maker that we have escaped from a 
world where the cruelty of man rendered our lives one prolonged 
scene of suffering and sorrow. After we have heard thy expla- 
nation, it has been further determined that some of those animals 
which have suffered persecution from thy race in their former 
state of existence shall publicly relate their history, in order to 
prove to thee that the aversion and horror in which we hold man- 
kind is not a groundless prejudice. The wrongs which many of 
my fellow-creatures, who are here assembled, have endured dur- 
ing their earthly career, are so manifold, that, to expatiate upon 
their enormity, or even to enumerate them, would be an endless 
task. It has, therefore, been resolved that a few instances only 
shall be cited ; after which it shall be submitted to the decision of 
this meeting, whether c man is deserving of any mercy from those 
animals which have been subjected to his domination during 
their earthly pilgrimage/ w 
The Horse, the Bull, the Bear, the Cock, the Monkey, the 
Dog, the Ass, and the Cat, then give, in detail, the particular 
histories of their lives, and of the various cruelties to which they 
were subjected. The author has rendered the speeches of the 
animals, with the aid of various important notes, not less instruc- 
tive than amusing. The Elephant thus commences the recapi- 
tulation : — 
“The evidence which has been adduced is most disgraceful to 
a people pretending to civilization, and professing the religion 
which enjoins them to do unto others as they would that others 
should do unto them. There are, however, many honourable ex- 
ceptions to the too general depravity ; and it is fortunate for the 
stranger before us that he is himself guiltless of any participa- 
tion in the manifold abuses which have been proved against his 
