THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
VOL. XII, No. 142.] OCTOBER 1839. [New Series, No. 82. 
AN ESSAY ON THE FUTURE EXISTENCE OF THE 
BRUTE CREATION. 
By Mr. W. F. Karkeek, V. S., Truro. 
Quicquid est illud cjuod sentit, quod sapit, quod viget, coeleste et divinum est, 
ideoque aeternum. — Cicero. 
VARIOUS and contradictory are the opinions which have been 
formed of the metaphysical nature of the inferior animals. By 
one, they are sunk to the level of insensate matter; by another, 
they are exalted to immortality. On a subject so astonishing and 
so abstruse no one can doubt that difficulties of a most formidable 
nature will occur, since we are incapable of substantiating our po- 
sitions by demonstrative evidence. The highest credence, there- 
fore, that we can hope to attain, is the probability of the fact; and 
this holds good on all occasions, when the contrary probabilities 
are either fewer in number or less considerable in weight. In the 
ordinary affairs of human life, and even in the sciences, our opi- 
nions and conduct are generally determined by a series of proba- 
bilities, and in a concurrence of reasons, which supply the want of 
more conclusive evidence on subjects which are not susceptible of 
strict demonstration. A philosopher has no demonstrative argu- 
ments to support the one-half of the opinions he has formed in 
relation to the phenomena of the natural world. His deductions 
respecting the causes of the winds, of thunder, of lightning, of 
volcanic eruptions, of the nature of light, sound, electricity, gal- 
vanism, and other operations of the system of nature, are grounded 
on that species of reasoning which is termed analogical, and which, 
at best, amounts to nothing more than a high degree of probability. 
The truth of metaphysical opinions is, indeed, a disheartening 
subject of discussion, and it is much easier to say that a metaphy- 
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