276 
SHEEP. 
hour from one tract of country to another ; and 
speed a greater part of their time in attempts to 
avoid their enemies. Thus constantly exercised, 
and continually practising all the arts of defence 
and escape, the animal at once preserves its life 
and native independence, together with its swift- 
ness, and the slender ability of its form. 
O 
The sheep, in its servile state, seems to be di- 
vested of all inclinations of its own ; and of all 
animals it appears the most stupid. Every qua- 
druped has a peculiar turn of countenance, a phy- 
siognomy, if we may so call it, that generally 
marks its nature. The sheep seems to have none 
of those traits that betoken either courage or cun- 
ning ; its large eyes separated from each other, its 
ears sticking out on each side, and its narrow nos- 
trils, all testify the extreme simplicity of this 
creature; and the position of its horns, also show 
that nature designed the sheep rather for flight 
than combat. It appears a large mass of flesh, 
supported upon four small, straight legs, ill fit- 
ted for carrying such a burden ; its motions are 
awkward, it is easily fatigued, and often sinks 
under the weight of its own corpulency. In pro- 
portion as these marks of human transformation 
are more numerous, the animal becomes more help- 
less and stupid. Those which live upon more 
fertile pasture, and grow fat, become entirely fee- 
ble ; those that want horns are found more dull 
and heavy than the rest ; those whose fleeces are 
longest and finest, are more subject to a variety 
of disorders ; and, in short, whatever changes 
have been wrought in this animal by the industry 
of man, are entirely calculated for human advan- 
tage, and not for that of the creature itself. It 
might require a succession of ages, before the 
sheep could be restored to its primitive state of 
activity, so as to become a match for its pursuers 
