I CANNOT think it extravagant to imagine that mankind are no less in proportion accountable for the ill use of their dominion over creatures of the lower rank of beings, than for the exercise of tyranny over their own species. The more entirely the inferior creation is submitted to our power, the more answerable we should seem for our mismanagement of it; and the rather, as every condition of nature renders these creatures incapable of receiving any recompense in another life for their ill-treatment in this. Montaigne thinks it some reflection upon human nature itself, that few people take delight in seeing beasts caress or play together, but almost every one is pleased to see them lacerate and worry one another. I am sorry this temper is become almost a distinguishing character of our own nation, from the observation which is made by foreigners of our beloved pastimes, bear-baiting, cock-fighting, and the like. We should find it hard to vindicate the destroying of anything that has life, merely out of wantonness; yet in this principle our children are bred up, and one of the first pleasures we allow them is the licence of inflicting pain upon poor animals; almost as soon as we are sensible what life is ourselves, we make it our sport to take it from other creatures. I cannot but believe a very good use might be made of the fancy which children have for birds and insects. Mr. Locke takes notice of a mother who permitted them to her children, but rewarded or punished them as they treated them well or ill. This was no other than entering them betimes into a daily exercise of humanity, and improving their very diversions to a virtue. I fancy, too, some advantage might be taken of the common notion, that it is ominous or unlucky to destroy some sorts of birds, as swallows or martins; this opinion might possibly arise from the confidence these birds seem to put in us by building under our roofs, so that it is a kind of violation of the laws of hospitality to murder them. As for Robin redbreasts, in particular, it is not improbable they owe their security to the old ballad of the Children in the Wood. However it be, I do not know, I say, why this prejudice, well improved and carried as far as it would go, might not be made to conduce to the preservation of many innocent creatures, which are now exposed to all the wantonness of an ignorant barbarity. There is a passage in the book of Jonas, when God declares his unwillingness to destroy Nineveh, where methinks that compassion of the Creator, which extends to the meanest rank of his creatures, is expressed with wonderful tenderness-" Should I not spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six score thousand persons-and also much cattle?" And we have in Deuteronony a precept of great good-nature of this sort, with a blessing in form annexed to it, in those words: "If thou shalt find a bird's-nest in the way, thou shalt not take the dam with the young; but thou shalt in any wise let the dam go; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days." To conclude, there is certainly a degree of gratitude owing to those animals that serve us. As for such as are mortal or noxious, we have a right to destroy them; and for those that are neither of advantage or prejudice to us, the common enjoyment of life is what I cannot think we ought to deprive them of.-POPE, The Guardian,' THE CHILDREN IN THE WOOD. Now ponder well, you parents deare, Whose wealth and riches did surmount Sore sick he was, and like to dye, In love they lived, in love they dyed, The one a fine and pretty boy, Not passing three yeares olde; As plainlye doth appeare, When he to perfect age should come, "If you do keep them carefully, With lippes as cold as any stone, "God bless you both, my children deare!" With that the teares did fall. These speeches then their brother spoke To this sick couple there; "The keeping of your children dear, Sweet sister, do not feare: Their parents being dead and gone, He bargain'd with two ruffians rude, He told his wife, and all he had, He would the children send Away then went the pretty babes, To those that should their butchers be, So that the pretty speeche they had, Yet one of them, more hard of heart, The other would not agree thereto, About the children's life: Where babes did quake for feare! T He took the children by the hand, And two long miles he ledd them thus, "Stay here," quoth he, “I'll bring ye bread, When I do come againe." These pretty babes, with hand in hand, Their prettye lippes, with blackberries, And when they sawe the darksome night, Thus wandered these two prettye babes, No burial these prettye babes Till robin red-breast painfully Did cover them with leaves. And now the heavy wrathe of God Yea, fearful fiends did haunt his house, His barnes were fired, his goods consumed, His cattle dyed within the field, And in the voyage of Portugal And, to conclude, himself was brought He pawned and mortgaged all his land And now at length this wicked act Did by this meanes come out : |