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Article TO THE EDITOR. ← Page 5 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To The Editor.
milder and more gentle animals of the creation . The cow , the camel , the sheep , and the horse , with many others , remained firmly attached to the lord of the creation . The dog , from his kind feeling to person and place , became the powerful protector of both ; whilst the cat , more attached to locality than to person , kept his dwelling free from the smaller troublesome vermin , and with its many playful antics , became a domestic favouritewhichas I have before observedwas carried almost
, , , to adoration by the Egyptians . To the dog , for fidelity , few of our domesticated animals can be compared ; of this we have a feeling example in the dog of Odyseus , who after twenty years' absence was forgotten by all , except by his dog , who paying his master his caressing welcome , then fell at his feet overcome with joy , and expired . The dog who licked the sores of Lazarus certainly shewed a tenderer feeling than the rich man . The little dog who preceded young Tobias , was
also a noble specimen of friendly attachment . This kind creature , when encouraged by his master ' s caresses , will protect him at the cost of his own life . Yet may it be said , to the disgrace of man , that this , his true friend , with the faithful horse , and the laborious and patient ass , receive but too often the most severe and unkind treatment from their keepers . Our domestic economy being for the greater part supplied by the great sacrifices made by the brute creation for our comfort in food ancl raiment , we ought in gratitude to bow to the Creator for
having so wonderfully supplied our wants . Even the birds of the air claim a share of our gratitude : their sweet songs cheer our senses , whilst the matchless diversity of their plumage is used for the decoration of the helmets of our warriors , as well as the heads of the well-arrayed ladies of the drawing-room . Of the larger species of birds , the stork claims also the particular attention of the agriculturists , by his indefatigable zeal in the destruction of injurious reptiles , chafers , ancl other hurtful insects to the crops of corn and grass . They are seen in every
field in Holland ; and the farmers being sensible of their great utility , never disturb them , which has made them so very tame , that they build their nests upon the chimneys ofthe farm-houses , and walk with perfect confidence amongst the more domesticated animals of the farm-yard . They rear their young fearless of the least invasion of their safety by man , and when fully fledged for the toil of their migration in August , they assemble in a meadow in great numbers and depart , to return in
the following spring to the same spot . This has so endeared that bird to the Hollanders , that he is become to them what the ibis was to the Egyptians , namely , the sacred bird , whom to injure would be visited with great severity by the offender . Having duly considered the great benefit which man has derived by imitating the instructive acts of many of the brute animals , whereby he has been enabled to shelter his person against the inclemency of the seasons , and against the cravings of hunger ; and when I also consider how much we are indebted to the beasts of burthen , and to our more
domesticated favourite , I am of opinion that we owe them more attention than is generally the case , and although it is not necessary to extend that feeling quite so far as Mahomed did by his favourite cat , who finding the same fast asleep on one of the flaps of his robe , when the sound of the horn called him to prayer , cut off the flap , so as not to disturb his sleeping favourite ; yet I firmly consider animals to be entitled to kinder treatment from the lord of the created beings , than what is bestowed upon them . Much has of late years been done by the humane
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To The Editor.
milder and more gentle animals of the creation . The cow , the camel , the sheep , and the horse , with many others , remained firmly attached to the lord of the creation . The dog , from his kind feeling to person and place , became the powerful protector of both ; whilst the cat , more attached to locality than to person , kept his dwelling free from the smaller troublesome vermin , and with its many playful antics , became a domestic favouritewhichas I have before observedwas carried almost
, , , to adoration by the Egyptians . To the dog , for fidelity , few of our domesticated animals can be compared ; of this we have a feeling example in the dog of Odyseus , who after twenty years' absence was forgotten by all , except by his dog , who paying his master his caressing welcome , then fell at his feet overcome with joy , and expired . The dog who licked the sores of Lazarus certainly shewed a tenderer feeling than the rich man . The little dog who preceded young Tobias , was
also a noble specimen of friendly attachment . This kind creature , when encouraged by his master ' s caresses , will protect him at the cost of his own life . Yet may it be said , to the disgrace of man , that this , his true friend , with the faithful horse , and the laborious and patient ass , receive but too often the most severe and unkind treatment from their keepers . Our domestic economy being for the greater part supplied by the great sacrifices made by the brute creation for our comfort in food ancl raiment , we ought in gratitude to bow to the Creator for
having so wonderfully supplied our wants . Even the birds of the air claim a share of our gratitude : their sweet songs cheer our senses , whilst the matchless diversity of their plumage is used for the decoration of the helmets of our warriors , as well as the heads of the well-arrayed ladies of the drawing-room . Of the larger species of birds , the stork claims also the particular attention of the agriculturists , by his indefatigable zeal in the destruction of injurious reptiles , chafers , ancl other hurtful insects to the crops of corn and grass . They are seen in every
field in Holland ; and the farmers being sensible of their great utility , never disturb them , which has made them so very tame , that they build their nests upon the chimneys ofthe farm-houses , and walk with perfect confidence amongst the more domesticated animals of the farm-yard . They rear their young fearless of the least invasion of their safety by man , and when fully fledged for the toil of their migration in August , they assemble in a meadow in great numbers and depart , to return in
the following spring to the same spot . This has so endeared that bird to the Hollanders , that he is become to them what the ibis was to the Egyptians , namely , the sacred bird , whom to injure would be visited with great severity by the offender . Having duly considered the great benefit which man has derived by imitating the instructive acts of many of the brute animals , whereby he has been enabled to shelter his person against the inclemency of the seasons , and against the cravings of hunger ; and when I also consider how much we are indebted to the beasts of burthen , and to our more
domesticated favourite , I am of opinion that we owe them more attention than is generally the case , and although it is not necessary to extend that feeling quite so far as Mahomed did by his favourite cat , who finding the same fast asleep on one of the flaps of his robe , when the sound of the horn called him to prayer , cut off the flap , so as not to disturb his sleeping favourite ; yet I firmly consider animals to be entitled to kinder treatment from the lord of the created beings , than what is bestowed upon them . Much has of late years been done by the humane