animal in Hindostan called the siaygush, which attacks, with incessant hostility, wolves, tigers, and all other ferocious animals; and yet lives upon roots and fruits. In this we recognize a resemblance to a wise governor. Warriors, on the other hand, resemble that celebrated mountain, the summit of which blazes with volcanoes, whose less elevated regions are inhabited by lions, its girdle by goats, and its feet by serpents.

Bees and wasps die soon after losing their stings. The American loranthus steals all its juice and sap from the tree, on which it climbs; and on the day after the bough, upon which it has lived, is cut off, it withers and dies. Another species of loranthus causes the upper branch of its support to perish. It atones for this destructive influence, however, in some degree, by imparting grace and beauty: for its flowers, resembling the honeysuckle, are numerous, and it blossoms great part of the year.

ANIMAL ADORATION.

JOSEPHUS believed, that, before the fall, every animal had reason and speech. They certainly have, even now, after their own manner and species: and many attempts have been made in France, as well as in Germany and Britain, to ascertain their organs of eloquence. Crows have not less than twenty-five different modulations. Animals have even been raised by the folly and impiety of mankind to the rank of deities. "It is better," says Lord Bacon ", "to have no opinion of God at all, than such an opinion as is unworthy for the one is merely unbelief; the other is con

of him tumely."

a

The pyramids are the tombs of bulls. In a sarcophagus, found in the second pyramid by Belzoni, were discovered bones, which at first were supposed to be those of king Cephrenes but, upon a scientific survey, they proved to be those of an animal, belonging to the bos genus. Hence it has reasonably been supposed, that the pyramid was erected, not for the interment of kings, but for the deposition of Apis. Belzoni also believed, that the most magnificent of the tombs at Thebes was destined for the same purpose. How far human folly has gone, and can yet go, may be estimated by the following facts:-Though trees, rocks, and rivers, have been worshipped in almost all countries; and absurd as this species of adoration may appear in these days of enlightened christianity; it must be acknowledged, that animal worship is far more impertinent than vegetable worship. For in the one there is mystery; in the other none. Herodotus asserts, and from him Strabo, that the first temples in Egypt were for the reception of the insects, fishes, reptiles, birds, and quadrupeds, the inhabitants worshipped. Swine were adored in Crete; weasels at Thebes; rats and mice in Troas; porcupines in Persia; and some writers even assure us, that the Thessalians and Arcanians dedicated bullocks to ants and flies. The custom of worshipping animals prevailed, also, among the Egyptians, Syrians, Scythians, Hindoos, Chinese, Tonquinese, Tibetians, and Siberians, Greeks, Romans, and Celts.

b

a

Anaximenes believed air to be the principal deity; and St. Augustin esteemed it the secondary parent of all earthly objects. The invisibility of this element may operate as an apology for this species of idolatry; but to worship beings, that we can take up in our hands and crush with our fingers, is preposterous in the highest degree. Hero worship is magnificent when compared with it. Hero worship was general

a Cic. de Natura Deor. lib. ii. c. 20.

b De Civitate Dei, lib. viii. c. 2.

in ancient times.

Rollin a conceives that Moses and Bacchus

were the same; and Clarke

b

seems to think, that Serapis The modern Buharians pay

was no other than Joseph. divine honours to the memory of their forefathers©; and in some provinces of Pegu, they offer sacrifices to their dead bodies. Agesilaus, when the Thracians reported to him, that they had entered his name among the deities, coolly replied, "What! have the people of your nation the privilege and the power of making gods of whom they please?"

When the ancient writers inform us, that a particular god was born in a particular place, they mean, that he was first worshipped there. But some nations have adored dogs", wolves, apes, hawks, cocks, fishes, and monkeys. The Tonquinese worship horses and elephants; and the Egyptians embalmed the bodies of wolves and crocodiles; they also worshipped beetles; as we learn from Isaiah', PlinyTM, and St. Jerome ". The Hebrews worshipped a golden calf"; and even paid divine honours to the head of an ox P.

k

Some of the Malabarese adore the Pondicherry eagle, the most rapacious of birds. In Madura they venerate the ass; and suppose the whole tribe to be animated with the souls of their nobility. The inhabitants of Benin regard certain animals as mediators between them and the Deity; and the natives of Siam and Pegu believe white elephants to have the souls of their deceased monarchs residing in them. The Sandwich Islanders earnestly entreated the Europeans not to injure their ravens. "They are Eatoos of deceased chiefs," said they. In many islands of the South Seas the owl is

" Murcas autem Ægyptos vocat, propter sordes Idolatriæ.

• Gen. xxxiii.

P Lactantius de Vera Sapientia, lib. iv.

venerated; in Mexico the lapwing; storks in Morocco; bulls in Benares. The serpent was worshipped by the Lithuanians, the Samogitians, the Africans of Mozambique, and the natives of Calicut. In Surinam this reptile is still sacred; and its visits are regarded as highly fortunate:-Its colours are resplendently beautiful. The serpent was once also worshipped in Greece; and Vishnu, the Indian god, is frequently represented under its form. In May, 1819, a golden image with five heads, made of pure gold of Ophir, was discovered among the Paishwa's family deities. It weighed 370 tolas; and the serpent-headed god was represented in the act of contemplating the creation of the world. The Hindoos never molest snakes. They call them fathers, brothers, friends, and all manner of endearing names; and, on the coast of Guinea, snakes are reverenced so highly, that, in Bosman's time, a hog happening to kill one, the king ordered all the swine to be destroyed.

REASON IN ANIMALS.

THAT beasts have reason has been argued by Plutarch", Montaigne, and many other writers, with great force of argument. That it extends to birds and insects, and even to fishes, is equally probable. Nor was the poet so excursive as he has been esteemed, when he fabled fish to be able to communicate to each other, that the waters of the Euxine were more pure, soft, and agreeable, than those of any other sea. It is impossible, at present, to state how far animal reason extends; since even leeches are endowed with retrospective faculties. For when salt has been sprinkled over their backs, in order to make them disgorge, salt being a poison to most insects, they retain its impression so firmly, that they will not, till they have recovered perfect health, stick

a De Solertia Animal. c. xii.

b Apology for Raymond de Sebonde, b. ii. ch. 12.

to a wound afterwards with any pertinacity. Serpents will even obey the voice of their masters: the trumpeter bird of America will follow its owner like a spaniel and the jacana frequently acts as a shepherd to poultry. It preserves them in the fields all the day from birds of prey, and brings them home regularly at night. In the Shetland Islands there is a gull, which defends the flock from eagles; it is, therefore, regarded as a privileged bird. The chamois, bounding among the snowy mountains of the Caucasus, are indebted for their safety, in some degree, to a peculiar species of pheasant. This bird acts as their sentinel; for as soon as it gets sight of a man it whistles; upon hearing which the chamois, knowing the hunter is not far distant, sets off with the greatest activity; and seeks the highest precipices or the deepest recesses of the mountains.

Eagles, and some other birds, not only live in pairs, but procreate, year after year: they hunt together; and the male feeds the female, during the time of incubation. What is this but a species of marriage? Man has the power neither to eat, to walk, nor to speak, until he is taught. Being the most helpless of animals, the utmost of his earliest power is to suck, to move his limbs, and to weep. Nor is he the only animal, that has the divine faculty of contemplation. Though the most intimate acquaintance with vegetable anatomy discovers no organ, that bears any analogy with the seat of animal sensation, it would nevertheless betray a species of ignorance to deny sensation to plants. It would betray a still greater to deny reason to animals; since the faculty of imagination is proved by their capacity of dreaming.

In the menagerie of the Jardin des Plantes at Paris, was a crane, which Mons. Valentin brought from Senegal. This bird was attended by that merchant, during the voyage, with the most assiduous care; but, upon landing in France, it was sold, or given, to the Museum of Natural History. Several months after its introduction, Valentin, arriving at Paris,