MONT

On Cruelty to Animals.

"ONTAIGNE thinks it some reflection upon human nature itself, that few people take delight in feeing beafts carefs or play together, but almoft every one is pleafed to fee them lacerate and worry one another. I am forry this temper is become almoft a diftinguishing character of our own nation, from the obfervation which is made by foreigners of our beloved paftimes, bear-baiting, cock-fighting, and the like. We fhould find it hard to vindicate the deftroying any thing that has life, merely out of wantonnefs: 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 foon as we are fenfible what life is ourfelves, we make it our fport to take it from other creatures. I cannot but believe a very good ufe might be made of the fancy which children have for birds and infects. 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 exercife of humanity, and improving their very diversion to a virtue.

I fancy, too, fome advantage might be taken of the common notion, that 'tis ominous or unlucky to deftroy fome forts of birds, as fwallows and martins. This opinion might poffibly arife from the confidence these birds feem to put in us, by building under our roofs; fo that it is a kind of violation of the laws of hofpitality to murder them. As for Robin-red-breasts in particular, it is not improbable they owe their fecurity to the old ballad of "The children in the wood." However it be, I don't know, I fay, why this prejudice, well-improved, and carried as far as it would go, might not be made to conduce to the prefervation of many innocent creatures, which are now expofed to all the wantonness of an ignorant barbarity.

There

There are other animals that have the misfortune, for no manner of reafon, to be treated as common enemies, wherever found. The conceit that a cat has nine

lives, has cost at least nine lives in ten of the whole race of them: Scarce a boy in the ftreet but has, in this point, outdone Hercules himself, who was famous for killing a monfter that had but three lives. Whether the unaccountable animofity against this useful domeftic may be any caufe of the general perfecution of owls (who are a fort of feathered cats), or whether it be only an unreasonable pique the moderns have taken to a serious countenance, I fhall not determine: Tho' I am inclined to believe the former; fince I obferve the fole reafon alledged for the destruction of frogs is because they are like toads. Yet, amidst all the misfortunes of these unfriended creatures, 'tis fome happiness that we have not yet taken a fancy to eat them: For fhould our countrymen refine upon the French never fo little, 'tis not to be conceived to what unheardof torments owls, cats, and frogs, may be yet referved.

When we grow up to men, we have another fucceffion of fanguinary fports; in particular, hunting. I dare not attack a diverfion which has fuch authority and cuftom to support it; but muft have leave to be of opinion, that the agitation of that exercife, with the example and number of the chafers, not a little contribute to refift those checks, which compaffion would naturally suggest in behalf of the animal purfued. Nor fhall I fay, with Monfieur Fleury, that this fport is a remain of the Gothic barbarity; but I must animadvert upon a certain custom yet in use with us, and barbarous enough to be derived from the Goths, or even the Scythians; I mean that favage compliment our huntsmen pass upon ladies of quality, who are prefent at the death of a stag, when they put the knife in their hands to cut the throat of a helplefs, trembling, and weeping creature.

Damon

Damon and Pythias.

AMON and Pythias, of the Pythagorean fect in philofophy, lived in the time of Dionyfius, the tyrant of Sicily. Their mutual friendfhip was fo ftrong, that they were ready to die for one another. One of the two (for it is not known which) being condemned to death by the tyrant, obtained leave to go into his own country to fettle his affairs, on condition that the other fhould confent to be imprifoned in his stead, and put to death for him, if he did not return before the day of execution. The attention of every one, and efpecially of the tyrant himself, was excited to the highest pitch; as every body was curious to fee what would be the event of so strange an affair. When the time was almost elapsed, and he who was gone did not appear, the rafhnefs of the other, whofe fanguine friendship had put him upon running fo feemingly defperate a hazard, was univerfally blamed. But he ftill declared, that he had not the least shadow of doubt in his mind of his friend's fidelity. The event fhewed how well he knew him. He came in due time, and furrendered himself to that fate, which he had no rea fon to think he should efcape; and which he did not defire to escape by leaving his friend to fuffer in his place. Such fidelity softened even the favage heart of Dionyfius himself. He pardoned the condemned. He gave the two friends to one another; and begged that they would take himself in for a third.

Valentine

T the fiege of Namur by the allies, there were in

A the ranks of the company commanded by captain

Pincent, in colonel Frederic Hamilton's regiment, one Unnion a corporal, and one Valentine a private centinel: There happened a difpute between these two men about an affair of love, which, upon fome aggravations, grew to an irreconcileable hatred. Unnion being the officer of Valentine, took all opportunities even to ftrike his rival, and profefs the fpite and revenge which moved him to it. The centinel bore it without refiftance; but frequently faid, he would die to be revenged of the tyrant. They had fpent whole months in this manner, the one injuring, the other complaining; when, in the midft of this rage towards each other, they were commanded upon the attack of the castle, where the corporal received a fhot in the thigh, and fell; the French paffing on, and he expecting to be trampled to death, called out to his enemy, "Ah, Va

lentine!

lentine! can you leave me here?"

Valentine immedi

ately ran back, and in the midft of a thick fire of the French, took the corporal upon his back, and brought him through all that danger as far as the abbey of Salfine, where a cannon ball took off his head: His body fell under his enemy, whom he was carrying off. Unnion immediately forgot his wound, rofe up, tearing his hair, and then threw himself upon the bleeding carcafe, crying, "Ah, Valentine! was it for me, who have fo barbarously used thee, that thou haft died? I will not live after thee." He was not by any means to be forced from the body, but was removed with it bleeding in his arms, and attended with tears by all their comrades who knew their enmity. When he was brought to a tent, his wounds were dreffed by force; but the next day, ftill calling upon Valentine, and lamenting his cruelties to him, he died in the pangs of remorse.