VINDICATION

OF THE

RIGHTS

of

BRUTES,

Quid rides?

London:
PRINTED FOR EDWARD JEFFERY, PALLMALL; AND SOLD BY MILLER, IN BOND*
STREET; AND J, SEWELL, CORNHILL,
1792.

iii

ADVERTISEMENT.
JlHE

particular defign of the following

fleets, is to evince by demonjlrative

argu-

ments>

called

the perfect equality of

the irrational
it

fpedes,

to

what

the

is

human ;

hut

has likewife a more general dejign ; and

this is no other, than to ejlablijl) the equality

of

as

all things,

and worth.
productions

to

their intrinfic dignity

Indeed, after thofe wonderful

of

Mr. Paine

Woolstoncraft,

and Mrs.

fuch a theory as the

prefcnt, feems to he necejjary,

in order to

ADVERT ISMENT.

IV

give perfection

to

rights of things;

difcovery

our refearches into the

and

fuch an age of

in

and independence

as the prefent,

the author flatters himfelf that his theory

will he warmly patronized by all the lovers

of novelty ,

and friends of

oppofttion,

who

are happily , at this period, fo numerous both

in

France and England\ and who are

to receive

likely

an unbounded increafe.

The author

indeed,

is

well aware, that

even in thefe luminous days, there are fill

many who

will be fo

far from admitting

the equality of brutes to men, that they will

not even allow

each other.

the equality

Perhaps

too,

of mankind
they

to

will cn~

deavour

ADVERTISEMENT.
deavour

to

fupport

from

their opinion

the

authority of Ariflotle in his politics, where

he endeavours

to

prove, that feme men are

naturally born Jlaves,

and

others free ;

and

that the Jlavijh part of mankind ought to

be governed by the independent , in the

manner as
is y

like

fame

the foul governs the body, that

" For

a defpot or a tyrant.

(fays

he) thofe who are born with Jlrong bodily

and weak mental powers, arc born

and

on the

contrary,

is

conclufion

its

fcrve ;

whenever the mind

predominates over the body,

tural freedom on

to

it

confers na-

But

pojfcffhr"

which will furely be

culed by every genuine modern, as

proceeds on a fuppoftion,

that

it

this
ridi-

wholly

mind and
body

ADVERTISEMENT.

VI

body are two diftinR things, and that tht

former

is

more

though almtfl every one

that foul

than the latter;

excellent

and body are

is

now

convinced,

only nominally difiin-

guijhed from each other, and are

effentially

the fame.

In/kortj fuch

and fuch
diflinilion

is

the prevalence of truth,

the futility

between

continually lojing

dination fcems

of

rfriflotle,

majler and fervant

ground ; fo that

to

that his

be dying

away,

all

is

fubor-

and an

approximation to equality taking place among

the different orders of mankind.

cf

this

obfervation

in female fervant s,

is

The truth

particularly evident

whofe independent fpir it,

which

ADVERTISEMENT.
which

is

miflaken hy

impudence,

is

fome for

Vll

boldnefs

and

become the fubjeft of general

furprize; and who fo happily rival their

mijirejfes

in

that excepting a

drefs,

awkwardnefs

in their carriage,

little

and rough-

nefs in their bands, occafoned by untwijling

the wide-befpattering radii of the mop,

Jlrenuoufly

grafping

the

fcrubbing-brufh,

there is no difference between

her houfe-maid.

and

my

lady

and

IVe may therefore rcafon-

ally hope, that this

amazing rage for

liberty

will continually increafe ; that mankind will

Jhortly abolijh all government as

an

intolerable

yoke ; and that they will as univerfally join

in vindicating the rights
afferting the prerogatives

of brutes, as in

of man.

A VIN-

VINDICATION
OP THE

RIGHTS

of

BRUTES-

CHAP.
TI)Qt

xT

God has made

appears at

gular, that a

Things equal.

fight

fomewhat

lin-

moral truth of the higheft

importance, and
fhould

firft

all

I.

mod

have been

illuftrious evidence,

utterly

unknown

to

the ancients, and not yet fully perceived,

and univerfally acknowledged, even

in

fuch an enlightened age as the prefent.

The

The Rights of Brutes,

io

The

truth

all things,

with refpefl

real dignity
little

allude to

is,

the equality of

to their intrinfic

and worth.

confideration will

But indeed, a
foon

enable us

to account for the ignorance of

in

particular;

intereiting

this

teach us, that

baneful

it

folely arifes

of

habits

perverfe

which have from time

taken

root in the

have

at laft

their

final

to

and

mankind
and will

from thofe
reafoning,

time immemorial

minds of men, and

funk fo deep, as to render

and general

immenfely laborious,

if

extirpation,

an

not a ridiculous,

attempt.

perceive however,

delight,

that

this

with

fublime

no

fmali

do&rine

is

daily gaining ground amongft the thinking

part of

mankind.

Mr. Payne has

already

convinced

The Rights of Brutes.

convinced thoufands of the equality of

men

floncraft

women

has

indifputably proved,

that

are in every refpeft naturally equal

men, not

to

and Mrs, Wool-

to each other;

only in

mental

abilities,

but likewife in bodily ftrength, boldnefs,

and the

Bat

like.

all this,

proximation

however,

prove, that there

firft

as

of

no fuch thing

when minutely and

falfely

vile

and

in the

of nature

fuperiority

amined, however

may

is

which

to promulgate

caufe being excepted)

thing,

only an ap-

the great truth,

to

this Eflay is defigned

univerfe,

is

(the

and that any

accurately ex-

and contemptible

it

appear, will be found to be

ineftimable

value,

and

intrinfically

equal

The Rights of Brutes.

equal to a thing of the greateft magnitude and worth.

To be convinced

of

this,

we

need only

confider, that the Deity, according to the

common

conceptions of

men,

all

is

being of perfect equity and impartiality

that his goodnefs
is

no

is

immenfe, and that he

powerful than good.

lefs

confequence of

this, all

his

Now

in

produ&ions

muft be equally good and excellent

fince

otherwife he would be partial and unjuft.

Should

it

be faid, that according to this

do&rine the
lar to the

vileft

Deity as the moft excellent, I

reply, that this

tion

as

things,

natures muft be as fimi*

is

only begging the quef-

we contend
is

in all

that the merit of all

things perfe&ly equal

and the fame.

But

The Rights of Brutes.

But

this will

tj

appear more evident, from

the following induftion

On comparing

the nature of a lion with that of a

we

find that bodily ftrength

is

man,

the apparent

chara&eriftic

of the one, and reafon of

the other.

fay apparent

for, as will

fhortly be proved, brutes pofiefs reafon in

common

with men, though not in quite

fo exquifite a degree
ficiency of reafon,
riority

and hence, the de-

combined with fupe-

of ftrength, renders the lion an

man

animal equally excellent with

like

in

manner, the fwiftnefs of a hare united

with hare-like reafon, puts the hare upon

an equality both with the lion and the

man

the advantages of flying in a bird,

united with the reafon of a bird

tilty

of fpinning

like reafon

in a fpider,

the fub-

with fpider-

and the microfcopic eye of a

D 3

fly,

H
fly,

The Rights of Brutes.

with the reafon of a

fly,

will feverally

be found to be equal to each other, and

of equal dignity with the reafon and bodily
advantages of man.

This theory will perhaps

many

appear to

too abflraled and refined, and as

having a tendency to deftroy thofe

tions of fociety,

which feem

to

diftinc-

have been

pointed out by nature herfelf, and to have

commenced with the

creation of the world.

There appears indeed

in the

firft

to be

fome weight

part of the obje&ion,

with

refpeft to the abftra&ednefs of this theory;

for not long fince

Mr. Payne, who may

be confidered as the father of

was

fo loft in

this fyftem,

contemplation of

its

fub-

limity, that he fuffered himfelf to be infulted in a

company of two hundred perfons,

Tbi Rights of Brutes.

15

fons, without attempting to revenge the

whole two hundred likewife

affront (the

experiencing the fame abftra&ed effe&s)

Mrs. Woolftoncraft, who though a

is

virgin,

the mother of this theory, often, as I

am

told, eats

myfelf

am

beef for mutton

frequently

fo

loft,

and I

when

as

reading the heft produ&ions of the

derns,

when

to

mo-

imagine they are nonfenfical,

at the

fame time they are the

pro*,

geny of the moft confummate wifdom and

wit.

But confequences

like thefe,

which

are in reality but trifling, ought not to be

obje&ed
truth,

to a fyftem,

which

is

founded on

and intimately interwoven with the

nature of things.

And,

as to its being

urged, that fucb a fyftem tends to deftroy

the neceflary diftin&ions

anfwer, that

it

mud

firft

B 4

of fociety,

be proved that
fuch

The Rights of Brutes.

16

fuch diftin&ions are

tural

for there

neceflary and

na-

great reafon to fufpeft,

is

that they are, and always have been, no-

thing more than tyrannical invafions of

wicked and defigning men,

certain

who

wifhed (and have unfortunately fucceeded

in their wifli), to deftroy that equality,

which the Author of the univerfe has benevolently inferted in

all

Thefe

things.

diftin&ions indeed are fo far from being

natural,

that

they are exprefTed,

ruptions of more

Greek word

are

evidently

common, and

trary appellations.

the

by which

the very words

for

Thus,
a

cor-

lefs arbi-

for inftance,

king, /Jams:*,

is

doubtlefs a corruption of /Jwi A/*xof> a baftlijk

like

and the Englifli word

nobility,

is

in

manner a corruption of the word

mobility

juft as praying,

when

it

becomes
focial

The Rights of Brutes.

focial,

is

beyond

all

ruption of braying

be

readily

controverfy a cor-

as

acknowledged

nious and learned

doubt not will

by the inge-

Mr, Wakefield.

CHAP.

The Rights of Brutes.

CHAP.
That Brutes

II.

Reafon in common

pojfefs

with Men.

JlJ

U T as our more

prefent

is

immediate bufinefs

with brutes, and their

in order to accomplifh in

manner

this

rights,

becoming

arduous inveftigation,

prove, in the

firft

I (hall

place, that they are ra-

tional beings, as well as

fecond place,

at

I (hall

men

and

in the

enumerate fome out

of the numberlefs advantages which would

arife

from endeavouring

to underftand the

language of brutes, and reftoring them to

their natural equality

with mankind.

At

the fame time, I would wifh the Reader

to

take

notice,

that

whatever

is

here

afferted

The Rights of Brutes.

of brutes,

aflerted

1$

no

19

lcfs applicable to

vegetables, and even minerals themfelves

for

it is

an ancient opinion,

that all things

are endued with fenfe; and this doftrine

is

very acutely defended by Campanella,

Treat ife

in his

and

mod

is

De

Senfu Rerum,

Magia,

indeed the natural refult of that

fublime and comprchenfive theory,

which

is

the bafis of the prefent work.

So that there

is

fome rcafon to hope, that

this Eflay will foon

tifes

et

on the

nerdlsy

be followed by trea-

rights of vegetables

compofed by pcrfons of

abilities

than

pofTefs

and mi-

far greater

that thus, the

do&rine of perfect equality will become

univerfal
exiled

dominion of every kind be

from the face of the earth

beautiful

period

be realized,

and that

which

at

prefent

The Rights of Brutes.

20
prefent

believed to exift only in fable,

is

when
" Man walk'd

But

with bead joint tenant of the ihade."

prove that brutes pofTefs

in order to

common

reafon in
fent the

with men,

I fhall

pre-

Reader with the fubfeance of the

Platonic

philofopher

ments on

this

Porphyry's

fubje, which

lected with great pains,

from

argu-

have colhis

Third

Book, on Abftinence from Animal Food,

as they appear to

me

to be admirably cal-

culated for our prefent defign

and are as

follow

It

is

a true and Pythagoric opinion, that

every foul participating fenfe and

is

rational,

and

is

memory

endued with fpeech as

well

The Rights of Brutes.

well internal as external, by

means of

which, animals apparently irrational con-

with each other.

fer

But

words

that the

they employ for this purpofe fhoukf not

be diftinguifhed by us,
dered at, if

of

many

we

is

not to be

won-

confider, that the difcourfe

Barbarians

is

unintelligible to us,

and that they appear to make ufe of indiftinft vociferation,

fpeech.

Bcfides,

if

rather than rational

antiquity

to be

is

believed, and the teftimony of thofe

exifted in our time,
ceftors, there are

who

and that of our an-

fome who have affirmed

thcmfelves capable of hearing and underftanding the fpeech of animals, as

the ancients,

but

among

neus,
friends

who

Melampus and

among

Tirefias,

the moderns, Apollonius

is

reported

who were

to

Tya-

have told his

prefent at the occafion*

that

The Rights of Brutes.

22

that one fwallow

informed other birds,

that an afs had the misfortune to

fall

near

the city, loaded with wheat, which

was

fcattered

on the ground, through the in-

curfions

of a porter

and one of our

companions

related to

with a boy,

in capacity

underftood
affirmed,

all

that

me,

that he

of a fervant,

who

the voices of birds,

and

they were

and

diviners,

prognofticators of future events

length,

met

through his mother,

but at

who was

fearful left he fhould be fent as a prefent

to

the emperor,

and

on

this

account

poured urine in his ear when afleep, he

was deprived of
But

may

wonderful fagacity.

this

that brutes are

endued with reafon,

be argued from their fignifying to

each other their peculiar concerns

their

confulting for

their

own

from

intereft

with

The Rights of Brutes.

with diligent fagacity
viding for futurity

many

from

from

23
their pro-

their learning

things alternately of each other and

of mankind, and from alternately inftru&ing each other in things neceflary to their
exiftence.

To all

which we may add, that

Plato, Ariftotle, Empedocles, Democritus,

and others,

who

have accurately invefli-

gated the truth concerning animals, have

found them to
difcourfe.

partake of

reafon and

But as Ariftotle obferves, there

appears a diverfity in the participation

only, and not in the eflence of reafon
the difference confiding in

more and

which many think may be applied

lefs,

to the

nature of gods and men, a diverfity be-

tween

thefe

fubfifting

according to a

perfedt and imperfeft habit of reafon, and

not according to a contrariety of eflence.

So

The Rights of Brutes.

24

So one and the fame xeafon

men and

brutes, but

is

is

common

diftinguifhed

degrees of intenfion and remiffion.

tle further obferves, that thofe

mod

prudent, that

which excel

fubtle,

fation

and

are

by

Arifto-

animals are

mod

crafty

and

in acutenefs of fen-

but the difference of the corporeal

organization

with

is,

to

renders animals

eafily,

or

difficulty, paflive to external objects,

is

the occafion of their poireffing rea-

fon in greater or lefs energy and vigour

but this cannot caufe an

of

foul,

fenfes

fince

it

eflential variation

neither

compels

nor the pallions to depart

the

from

their proper nature.

It

muft be granted therefore, that the

difference of reafon in thefe fubfifts ac-

cording to more and

lefs,

nor muft

we

deprive

7 hi

Rights of Brutes.

25

deprive other animals of reafon entirely,

becaufe

we

participate an higher degree of

As we do

intelle&ion.
partridges can

not deny that

becaufe hawks foar

fly,

with greater rapidity

for indeed

be admitted, that the foul

paffion
is

from

its

its

conftitution

this paflivity,

muft by no means

this union,

but

if it is paffive

only from

and ufes the body as an in-

when

ently organized

this inftrument is differ-

from ours,

things which
;

but that

changed in confe-

be allowed

effeft

is

the nature of the foul

many

fubjeft to

union with the body, and

temperament of

ftrument,

may

according to the good or bad

aflfefted

quence of

is

it

and indeed

it

we
is

it

are
paflive

performs
unable to

from the

particular conftitution of the body, but

does not on this account change

its

it

peculiar

The Rights of Brutes.

26
liar

brutes,

who

But thofe

nature.

in their rational

from nature, do not

affirm that

operations,

aflt

fufficiently perceive

that they are naturally endued with a rational

power, nor that the reafon

ticipate

is

we

par-

the gift of nature, although its

perfe&ion depends on an inareafe beyond

what we

an argument
brutes,

from

from nature.

derived

that

difcipline

reafon

fince

it

is

that they acquire

true in other

them from

much

many

nature, but

information from

Again, fome have en-

after inftru&ion.

deavoured, and

of

not derived

is

animals as well as in men, that

things are taught

is it

the rationality

againft
their

Nor

think not abfurdly, to

Jhew, that many animals are more prudent than

which they

we

are,

refide

from the places in

for as the inhabitants

of

The Rights of Brutes.

27

of asther are more rational than mankind,

this is likewife true, fay they,

to thefe, the inhabitants of air

of the next
afterwards

the refidents in water and in earth differ

from each other

For

we

if

nities

in

gradations of reafon.

meafure the dignity of divi-

from the excellency of place,

it is

equally juft to apply the fame flandard to

every kind of

animal nature.

Socrates, and before

Again,

him Rhadamanthus,

ufed to fwear by animals

but the Egyp-

tians believed that certain animals

gods

whether

this

was

were

their real opinion,

or whether they defignedly gave the coun-

tenance of an ox and the face of birds to

the forms of the gods, that they might

induce

much

men

as

from animals, as

to abftain

from

their

own

fpecies

ther this proceeded from fome

or

more

whefecret

caufe

The Rights of Brutes.

28

caufe of which

we

are ignorant.

Thus

loo the Greeks placed the horns of a

on

the ftatue of Jupiter

ram

but the horns of

a bull on that of Bacchus, and compofed

the ftatue of

Pan from

To

goat and a man.

jun&ion of a

the

Mufes and

Love and Mercury,

Sirens,

wings

the

fumed,

and they

that Jupiter af-

relate,

at different times,

bull, of an eagle,

they gave

the form of a

and of a fwan.

which the ancients

teftified

By

all

the honours

they beflowed on animals, and this in a

ftill

greater degree,

when

they affirm that

a goat was the nurfe of Jupiter.

But Fables indicate that brute animals

accord with
foul,

when

mankind

in

the

nature of

they affirm that through the

indignation of the gods,

human

fouls pafs

into

The Rights of Bruter.

into the bodies of brutes

and

that,

29

when

thus transmigrated, they excite the pity

fignifying

by fuch nar-

rations, that all animals are

endued with

of the

divinities

reafon, which, though imperfeft in moft

of the brutal kind,

is

not entirely want-

ing in any.

Hence

it

is

unjuft to deftroy animals,

fince they are not entirely alienated

from

our nature, but participate of reafon in

common

with mankind,

inferior degree.

thoiJgh

in

But we, indulging

an
in

wantonnefs and cruelty, deftroy many of

them

in theatrical

fports,

and

in the bar-

barous exercife of the chafe, by which

means the

grow

On

brutal energies of our nature

ftrong,

and favage

defires encreafe.

the contrary, the Pythagoreans exer-

eifed

The Rights of Brutes.

30

gentlenefs

cifed

and

clemency towards

fpecimen of humanity and

brutes as a
pity.

Again, that brutes participate of

reafon

may

be argued as follows

thing which
it

oppofed to

perfectly inanimate, fince

is

of reafon and intellect,

deftitute

is

Every

that,

which together with

is

foul

participates of reafon and a certain intel-

For every animated

ligence.

being

fenfitive

poffefles alfo a phantafy, as a

of reafon

which

and Nature,

kind

forms

every thing for the fake of fome purpofe,

and with reference to fome end, formed

alfo

an animal,

fenfitive

might fimply perceive

that

it

might

venient to
venient,

its

and

diftinguifh

not that
fuffer,

what

nature from what

is
is

it

but

con-

incon-

and purfue the one and avoid

the other.

Senfe therefore procures to

every

The Rights of Brutes.

31

every animal the knowledge of what

noxious or beneficial

which

is

is

but that conduft,

the refult of fenfation, I

mean

the profecution of things ufeful, and the

avoiding fuch as are definitive, can only

be prefent with beings endued with a certain

ratiocination,

mory.

me-

judgment and

Indeed Strato, the phyfiologift,

that fenfe cannot at all

juftly obferves,

operate without

intelligence,

often run over writings with

and expofe our

fince

we

our eyes,

ears to difcourfe, without

any attendant confeioufnefs, the foul being intent on fomc other concern
afterwards confider and purfue the

ing

and

mean-

they contain, by recolle&ing what

was before unnoticed.

is

From whence

it

well faid by the poet,

" 'Tis mind alone that fees and hears,

And all befides is rf*af and blind/*

C4

For

The Rights of Brutes.

32

For indeed, though our eyes and

become

paflive

ears

external obje&s, yet

to

perception cannot take place unlefs intellect

is

On which

prefent.

account

King

Cleomenes, when a certain difcourfe was

praifed at

a banquet at which he

prefent, being afked whether

appear to him

excellent

it

that

determined by you, fays he, for

was

at the

although

we

time

in

was

did not

muft be

my

Peloponefus.

foul

But

fhould admit that fenfe does

not require intellect in the profecution

of

its

energies, yet

when

it

places a dif-

ference between two obje&s purfuing the

one and avoiding the other, and fagacioufly invents the middle term of purfuit

and declination, we may

fuch

inventions

to

the

juftly attribute

operations

of

reafon,

The Rights of Brutes*

33

reafon, and conclude, that thcfe powers

are peculiar to a rational nature, and are

prefent in different degrees to

all

animals

pofTe fling a progreflive motion.

CHAP.

Tht Rights of Brutes.

34

CHAP.
That

in

confequence

we

Reafon,

Fosd ;

ought

and

III.

of

Brutes

to abjlain

that this

was

ptffejpng

from Animal
the

Praftice

of the moji ancient Greeks.

X HUS

Porphyry, from whofe

far

fectly convincing arguments

follows, that

it

is

it

per-

evidently

equally as unjuft and

tyrannical to deftroy and eat brutes,

they are erroneoufly called, as

be to

facrifice

our

own

fpecies

it

as

would
for

the

fame impious and intemperate purpofes

fince in either cafe,

and

allies.

we

injure our kindred

Befidcs, as he well obferves

in another place, he

who

in general, will have

loves all animals

no particular hatred
iot

Th$ Rights of Brutes.

for any individual

more he

but by

how much

cultivates juftice,

whole animal kind, by

fo

35
the

towards the

much

more

the

wiir his equity be extended towards that

part of the fpecics,
allied to his
all

own.

which

is

more nearly

Hence he who

ufes

animals with kindnefs and familiarity,

will not injure this or that in particular:

but he

who

eircumfcribes juftice, within

the narrow limits of the

human

race, is

ever ready, like one placed in a difficult

fituation, to relax the reins

of injuftice,

and haften into the dangerous paths of

iniquity.

On

which account the banquet

of Pythagoras,

and

is

much more p

defirable, than that

leafant

of Socrates

for

the latter of thefe affirmed, that hunger

was the fauce of food

aflerted, that to injure
juftly,

was

but Pythagoras

no one, and

to

a&

the fweeteft of all banquets.

The Rights of Brutes.

36
But

that

this abftinence

food, which

mended,

mod
firfl

is

from animal

warmly recom-

here fo

was a&ually adopted by

nations,

ancient

is

the

evident in the

place from the condu6t of the pri-

mitive Greeks, as related by Porphyry,

in th Fourth

Book of

Treatife, and

4t

his

which was

above-mentioned
as follows

Dicaearchus the Peripatetic (fays he)

in his Hiftory of the ancient

Living among the Greeks,

Manner of
that

relates,

the ancients immediately originating from

mod

the gods, were endued with the

cellent natures,
lives

fo that

and

led the

ex-

moft exalted

compared with

us,

who

fpring from an adulterated and bafe matter,

they are denominated the golden age;

and thefe men

(fays he) deftroyed

no ani-

mal

The Rights of Brutes.

mal nature.

But

37

the truth of

evinced by the poets,

who

this

is

call this firfl

age of mankind golden, and relate that

every good was prefent to the inhabitants

of this happy period.

Hefiod
f

Then

earth fpontineous on her

Of various

blert

Which

bofom bore,

herbs and fruits, a plenteous (lore

In peaceful works, then

And

For according to

men remote from

with virtuous friend/hip pafs'd thro'

verfes

Dicsearchus

flrife,
life.'*

explaining,

affirms that a life of this kind

was under

the government of Saturn

fince

proper to believe that

reality fuch,

in

empty

tins

period

it

was

is

in

and was not alone celebrated

fables, but fubiifted agreeable to

the defcription

of the poet,

and ought

therefore to be referred to forne caufe con-

fonant toreafon, and the nature of things.

Every

TJ?e Rights of Brutes.

3?
Every

thing

was

indeed

fpontaneoufly

produced, for mankind as yet ignorant of

agriculture, and of every other art, pre-

pared none of the neceflaries of

too was the reafon
repofe,

greateft
free

why

life.

This

they enjoyed the

and parted through

from labour and care

and

if

life

we may

acquiefce in the reafon ings of the moft

knowing and moft

they were not

For they found

elegant of phyficians,

infefted

with any difeafc.

that nothing

was more

conducive to the prefcrvation of health

than refraining from a ufelefs abundance

of nutriment, from which they always

preferved

Hence

their

they did

bodies

not

perfe&ly

make

ufe

pure.

of food

exceeding the ftrength, but fuch as was

cafily

nature

fubjed to the dominion of their

;

and never affumed nutriment be-

yond

The Rights of Brutes*

39

yond mediocrity through the abundance

of provifions,

but

frequently

what was

fufficient

fupply.

They were

wars and

lefs

than

through the fcarcity of

feditions,

perfeft
fince

ftrangers to

no reward wor-

thy of contefl was ever propofed to them,

for the fake of

which they wifhed

mit themfelves
H)5 diflenfions.

to fuch great

to

com-

and danger-

So that repofe and quiet

from the moleitations

produced by the

preparation of neceflaries, together with.

health,

peace, and friendfhip, were the

principal refults of fuch a

life.

But af-

terwards the offspring of this happy period,

from indulging

in the defire of

abun-

dance, and from extending their pofleffions,

which produced a multiplicity of

evils,

rendered the former

mode of exift-

ence truly defirable to fucceeding generations.

The Rights of Brutes.

40
rations.

But the (lender and fpontaneous

nutriment of this primitive age

ciently indicated

by the adage which was

afterwards in ufe,
the oak

is fuffi-

ak^

ffw

enough of

a proverb moft probably ufurped

by thofe who changed the former mode of

After this,

fubfiftence.

fucceeded,

in

dominion.

pafloral

life

which mankind extended

their poflellions,
their

and fubjeled animals to

But perceiving that fome

of thefe were innoxious, and others malevolent and deflruftive, they

and contended

with

others.

tamed fome,

For war

arofc together with this altered inftitution

of

life,

own
thofe

which we do oot affirm upon cur

authority, but

who

from the teftimony of

have compiled a variety

of

authentic particulars from hiftorical traditions.

And

The Rights of Brutes.

And now

41

in this fubordinate age, fuch

things as were in any eftimation

became

the riches of mankind, which fome ambi-

provoking

endeavoured to feize,

tioufly

one another

for this porpofe

while others

endeavoured to defend them with equal

So

zeal and oppofition.

advances,

that

by gradual

mankind always regarding what

appeared ufeful, pafled into the third kind

of

life,

culture

in

which the

bufinefs of agri-

became the principal objeft of

general attention.

And

thus far Dicaj-

archus proceeds in relating the- ancient

manners of the Greeks, and the

life

enjoyed by the

moft

quity, to the poHeffion of

from animals
tion.

ed

afforded

remote anti-

which abftinence

no fmall contribu-

Hence no wars nor tumults

at this time,

blefled

becaufe

all

flourifti-

injuflice

was

exiled

42

The Rights of Brutes.

exiled.

But afterwards,

together with

the perpetration of injuries towards ani-

mals, war and fraudulent conduft mutually arofe.

men

is

So that the audacity of thofe

who

wonderful,

to call abftinence

afhamed

from animals the mo-

ther of injuftice,

the credit which

are not

fincc
is

it

appears from

due to hiftory and ex-

perience, that war, luxury and injuftice,

invaded the earth together with animal

flaughter."

CHAP.

The Rights of Brutes.

CHAP.
That

this

was

43

IV.

Vthewife the Praftice of the

Egyptian Priejts*

ORPHYRY

then proceeds

fhew

to

from the writings of Chxremon the

that abftinence

from animal food, formed

one part of that mode of

was

adopted

whofe

living,

which

by the Egyptain priefts;

relation epitomized

u Thefe

ftoic,

priefls,

who

is

as follows

are confidered as

philofophers by the Egyptians, choofe a

place for their refidcncc,

which

is

belt

adapted to the ftudy and cxercife of facred

fites

fo that a defire of contemplation

is

excited by only frequenting thofe recedes,

which

Rights of Brutes.

2T&'

44

which are dedicated

to

But

their ufe.

they live entirely folitary, except at particular times

when

on

all

mix with

other

they

occafions,

He

fcarcely to be approached.

thefe

others,

aflemblies and feafls

in certain public

but

they

are

adds, that

men, renouncing every other occu-

pation, and

all

human

affairs,

felves entirely, through the

give them-

whole of

life,

to the contemplation of divine concerns,

and

to enquiring into the divine will

by

the latter of thefe employments, procur-

ing to themfelves honour, fecurity,and the

eflimation of pity

and by contemplation

tracing out the latent paths of

fcience.

Indeed a

them perfe&ly
that period,
purification,

folitary life rendered

venerable.

which they
they

wifdom and

call

fcarcely

For during
the time of

mixed

with
the

The Rights of Brutes.

the aflbciates of their

own

4.5

order; and

even refrained from the fight of any one

of them,

but hkn whofe prefence was

neceflary,

on account of certain menial

employments which the exercife of purity

required.

He

adds,

among

ployed,

gods

they are always

cm-

feen

the refemblances of the

either carrying

their

images,

or

preceding them in their accuftomed proceflions, or difpofing

them with gravity

of deportment, and in a graceful order.

But

their

when

gravity

was

fo

extreme, that

they walked, their pace

was per-

and their eyes

fo fteady,

fectly equable,

that they frequently even refrained

winking

and their

rifibility

farther than to a fmile.

from

extended no

Their hands too

were

The Rights of Brutes.

4.6

were always contained

ments

priefts,

and

as there

"within their gar-

were many orders of

each carried about him fome re-

markable fymbol of that order which he

was

allotted

was

fuftenance

Their

facred concerns.

in

and fimple

(lender

and

with refpeft to wine, fome of them entirely refrained

it

from

it

and others drank

very fparingly, becaufe they

that

it

ment

affirmed

hurt the nerves, was an impedi-

to the invention of things, and

incentive to venereal defires.

They

an

alfo

abftained from bread in exercifes of purity

was

and
firft

hyflbp.

if

they eat

it

at other times, it

cut in pieces, and mingled with

mod

For the

frained from oil

mixed with
quantities

and when they ufed

olives,

and

part too, they re-

it

juft

was only
as

much

in
as

it

fmall

was

fufficient

The Rights of Brutes.

fufficient

to

mitigate

47

the tafte

of the

herbs.

u was

In the mean time,

for

any one to

of the aliment, whe-

tafte

ther folid or fluid,

which was brought to

Egypt from foreign

folid, or

many

fi

ftained

entirely

thofe times too,

which Egypt

hoofs

flu red

but

fiih

like-

quadrupeds having

all

as were without horns

niverdus birds

They

parts.

wife abftained from the

produced, and from

not lawful

from fuch

and from

all

car-

many of them ab-

from

animal food.

when

they

all

At

rendered

themfelves pure, they did not even eat an

egg.

But when the period drew near, in

which they were

rites,

or

fcfiivnl,

to celebrate

they

employed many

days in previous preparation

fome facred

fome of
them

The Rights of Brutes.

48
them

fetting apart forty-two days, others

a greater length of time than

this,

and

others again a fliorter, but never lefs than

feven days

from
and

all

abftaining during this period

animals, and from

leguminous

from

oily nutriment, but efpecially

venereal

congrefs.

felves thrice every

after rifing

when

all

They wafhed them*

day in cold water

viz.

from bed, before dinner, and

they betook them felves to

if they

reft

and

happened to be polluted in their

fleep, they

immediately purified their bo-

dies in a bath.

Their beds likewife were compofed of

the branches of a palm,
Cats,

bats.

circular form,

them

piece of

which they

wood of

called

a femi-

and well plained, ferved

for a pillow.

But

through

the

whole

The Rights of Brutes.

whole of

life,

49

they were exercifed in the

endurance of hunger and third, and were

accuftomed to a paucity and fimplicity of

nutriment.

But

as a teftimony of their temperance,

though they neither ufed the exercife of

walking, or riding, yet they lived free

from

difeafe,

and were moderately ftrong.

For indeed they endured great labour in

and performed

facred ceremonies,

their

many

fervices,

ftrength of

men.

exceeding

They

divided the night

between obfervations of the

dies,

was

and

offices

of purity

celeftial

bo-

but the day

deftined to the cultivation of the divi-

nities,

whom

they worfhipped with

each day, three or four times

the

common

the

hymns
viz.

in

morning and evening, when the fun

is

The Rights of Brutes.

50

when he

is at his

meridian, and

the

of their time they were occupied

reft

is

fetting;

in arithmetical and geometrical fpeculations,

always laborious and

and continually employed

inventing,
the invefti-

in

In winter nights alfo

gation of things.

they were diligent in the fame employ-

ment, and were ever vigilant

ftudies,

fince

they

were not

to literary

folicitous

about external concerns, and were freed

from the bafe dominion of intemperate

defires.

Their unwearied and afliduous

labour therefore,

argues

their

tience; and their continence

by

indicated
Beiides,
fail

it

privation

from Egypt,

as they

pa-

fufficiently

of

defire.

was efteemed very impious

in abftaining
ries

their

is

great

to

were very careful

from the manners and luxu-

of foreign nations

Co

that to leave

Egypt

The Rights of Brutes.

Egypt was alone lawful
compelled to

it

they difcourfed

51

to thofe who

were

by date necedities.

But

much concerning

a re-

tention of their native manners

and

if

any pried was judged to have tranfgrefled

the laws in the lead particulars, he

was

expelled the

true

Befides,

college.

the

method of philofophifing was preferved in

commentaries and

diaries

by the prophets,

and miniders of facred concerns

maining multitude of
(or priefts of Ifis

and

priefts,

the re-

padophori,

Ofiris) governors

of

temples, and fervants of the gods, ftudied

purity, but not fo cxa&Iy, nor with fuch

great continence, as thofe

we

much

is

tioned.

And

thus

the Egyptians, by a

man who

have menrelated
is

of

equally

a lover of truth, and of accurate diligence,

and

who

is

philofophy.

deeply (killed in the ftoic

But

The Rights of Brutes.

52

But the Egyptian

having pro-

priefts

ceeded thus far in the ftudy of purity, and

were

conciliating divinity to their nature,

of opinion, that not only

come

divine,

by man on
it

and that

foul

men may
is

participated

this terreftrial globe,

but that

paffes at different periods into the

dies of all animals.

Hence,

in

of every animal form

bo-

framing

the refemblances of the gods, they

life

be-

made

and fometimes

they united for this purpofe the bodies of

men and
birds.

beafts,

For

to reprefent

it

and again of

men and

was cuftomary with them

fome

human form from

particular

god

in

the extremities to the

neck, but with the face of a bird, or a

lion, or of

fome other animal: and again

they fafhioned another divinity

human

with a

head, having the other parts

compofed

Thi Rights of Brutes.

pofed from different animals
the fuperior parts of

53
applying

fome animals, and

the inferior parts of others in this con-

By

junction.

all

which they (hewed, ac-

cording to the fentiments of the divinities,

that

men and

beads poflcfs fomething in

common, and do

not without the con-

currence of the divine will, from a favage

ftate

become tame, and

receive their edu-

Hence a

cation together with mankind.

lion

is

venerated by them as a god

and a

certain part of Egypt, called Nomos,

furnamed

Leontopolis, or the city

worfhippers

another part,

of Lion-

Bujiris,

and again,

Ox-worfhippers

Lycopolis,

Wolf-worfhippers.

or

they venerated the divine

is

exalted above

all

is

or

another,

For

power which

things,

under the

fimilitude of that fpecies of animals

which
the

The Rights of Brutes.

54

the province

and on

this

they

inhabited

produced:

account they dedicated par-

ticular animals to particular gods.

the elements they paid

neration to

Among

a particular ve-

and water, as they are

fire

the principal caufes of our prefervation

and

this

and even

they exhibited in their temples

at

the prefent time,

fan&uary of Serapis
are celebrated with

the minifter

who

when

the

is

opened, the

rites

fire

and water.

For

fings the facred

hymns,

both pours out water by drops, and exhibits fire

when

ftanding in the place ap-

pointed for fuch purpofes, he invokes the

divinity in

Egyptians.
tliefe

the native

language of the

Since therefore they venerate

elements they particularly wcrfhip,

whatever

poflefTes

cipating largely

mod

of thefe, as parti-

of holy natures.

But
after

The Rights of Brutes.

worfhipped

after this they

and

the

in

man

honours to

him,

in

village

Anubh

animals;
divine

paid

for they facrificed to

honour of

And

altars.

all

55

his

nature

upon

prepared for themfelves (In

a fhort time after the religious ceremonies) fuch food

his nature as

we

as

was accommodated

to

From which conduft

man.

conclude, that other animals are to be

abftained

from

as well

as

mankind.

Again, from their moft excellent wifdom,

and from

their intimate acquaintance

divine concerns, they learned

with

what ani-

mals are friendly to men and dear to the

Thus

gods.

they affirm that a

acceptable to the fun, becaufe

is

entirely

fpirit

man and

compofed

befides,

it

from

feels

hawk
its

is

nature

blood

and

companion for

bewails his death, lightly cafting

earth

The Rights of Brutes.

56
earth

upon

his eyes, in

which they be-

lieved the folar light refided.

They have
hawk
dead,

lives
it is

likewife discovered that a

many

when

and that

years,

endued with a divining power

and being freed from

pofTefles great

its

corporeal bonds

wifdom, and

ing in future events

that

very

is

it

know-

alfo gives

perfe&ion to images and moves temples.

The rude

uninformed vulgar, ignorant of

concerns,

divine
K&vdL<>Q<

worfliip

or
it

For every
drops

its

doubtlefs

beetle

but

as a living

beetle

is

it

the

the Egyptians

image of the fun.

of the male kind, but

offspring in the

mud, which

fafhions into a fpherical fhape

round

abhors

it

and moves

in a retrograde courfe, like the

fun in the heavens.

And

in this

manner
it

The Rights of Brutes.

it

remains expe&ing the

twenty-eight days, that

is,

57

conclufion of

a lunar period.

After the fame manner,

the

crocodile, the vulture, the

ibis,

verfally all animals,

ram,

and uni-

were the fubje&s of

their philosophical difquifitions.

in confequencc of their

So that

wifdom, and great

knowledge of divine concerns, they

length

came

unlettered

to animal worfliip.

man

what means
from being

how

is

at

But the

perfe&ly ignorant by
themfelves

they preferved

carried

the

away by vulgar

folly

they deferted the paths of ignorance

frequented by the multitude

and ad-

mitted as a part of their worfliip things

of no general eftimation.

But

this confideration,

no

lefs

than the

preceding obfervations, ftrengthened their

belief

The Rights of Brutes.

58

belief in the propriety of animal worfhip

I

mean

of

all

their difcovering that the fouls

when

animals

endued with reafon

ture events

from body are

freed

are prasfcient of fu-

poflefs a prophetic

are capable of

all

power, and

the various operations

of man,

when

diverted of his corporeal

bonds.

Hence

they juftly reverenced

animals, and as

much

from ufing them

in

all

as poflible abftained

food.

But as the

Egyptians worfhipping the gods through

the

medium of

inveftigation,

and

animals,
far

requires

more than

much

the limits

of this work will admit, what has been

already revealed concerning their myfteries

muft

fufiice

our prefent defign."

CHAP.

The Rights of Brutes.

CHAP.

59

V.

The fame

Ahflinence exemplified in the

tory

of the Perftans and Indians.

u jt\GAIN,

fays Porphyry,

who

the Perfians, thofc

Hif-

among

are wife in divine

concerns and priefts of divinity, are called

Magi.
the

For fuch

is

word according

the fignification of

to the Perfian diale&.

But fo auguft and venerable

of

men among

is

this clafs

the Perfians, that Darius,

the fon of Hyftafpis, ordered this,

among

other things, to be inferibed on his tomb,

that he

was

the matter of magic.

Magi, according

to Eubulus,

Thefe

who com-

pofed the Hiftory of Mithras, in

books, are divided into three kinds

many
;

the
firft

60

The Rights of Brutes.

mod

and

firft

which fe&s,

learned of

neither eat nor deftroy animals, but adhere

to

the ancient

food.

abftinence from

animal

But the Magi of the fecond order,

deftroy animals indeed, but not fuch

are

Nor do

tame.

order equally feed on

and

the do&rine of

Mithras

thofe of the third

all

dogma of

greateft

a->

the

kinds*

The

firft

thefe tribes

all

is.,

metempfychofis of

infinuating

the agreement of

our nature with that of other animals,

by

calling themfelves

Thus

who

by

their

names.

they denominate the male Millies,

participate of their orgies or facred

rites, lions,

but the female lionefles, and

the fervants of the priefts, ravens.

And

the fame cuftom obtains in prefcrving the

remembrance of

their

fathers,

for

they

denominate thefe hawks and eagles, but

he

The Rights of Brutes.

he who
a lion

is

is

6t

initiated in thofe rites,

the fymbol,

is

of which

inverted with all

This

the various kinds of animal forms.

cuftom Pallas,

books which he

in the

compofed concerning Mithras, accounts

for,

by faying,

common

that

refpe&ed

people

thought

it

zodiac,

but that the true and accurate

opinion

is,

cuftom,

the

of the

circle

that they infinuated

tranfmigration

the

of

by

this

human

fouls into all the different orders of bodies.

He

men by

adds,

the

the

Romans

names of

boars,

call

fome

goats,

and

black-birds, and denominate in a fimilar

manner, the gods, the

Thus

artificers

they call Diana,

lupa,

of

thefe.

or a fhe-

wolf, but to the fun, they give the appellations of a bull,

and a hawk

a lion,

a dragon,

and to Hecate, the names

of

The Rights of Brutes.

62

of a horfe, a bull, a lionefs and a dog*

But the Greek name of Proferpine, <ps?ep*7*

many

according to

from

theologies,

THyZAilv,

(ptfCuv

For

wood-pigeons.

Maia

is

caufe fhe

For

this bird is facred to

Maia by her

is

dedicated

priefts

and

the fame with Proferpine,

is

be-

both a mother and a nurfe.

the terreftrial goddefs and Ceres are

one and the fame,

crate a cock

to

whom

abftain

from domeftic

fifh,

refrain

of

who

For

rites,

it

from cooped-up

it

equally as

touch the trunk of

is

the

that

birds,

beans, and pomegranates

they reckon

are

this goddefs,

birds.

ordered in the Elufinian

initiated

they confe-

and hence, thofe

initiated in the myfleries

from

derived

nourifhing

or

Hecate. Hence a wood-pigeon

to the goddefs

is

for

defiling,

to

this fruit-tree as a

dead

body.

"The Rights of Brutes.

But he who knows the nature of

body.

appearances,

knows

requifite to abftain
cially for

from

efpe-

be freed

But improbity,

have often obferved,

who

is

it

and to dwell

concerns,

as

powerful in

is

and efpecially when

itfelf,

addrefTes the ignorant.

they

birds

all

haftens to

celeftial gods.

defending

why

likewife,

from

him who

terreftrial

with the

we

63

Hence

it is,

it

that

keep the middle rank among

the bafe part of mankind,

exhortation from

animal food,

and empty, and fimilar

the trifling of an old

while others,

who

efteem

as

it

woman's

is

as

this

vain

faid,

to

difcourfe

are fomething farther

advanced in improbity, are not only prepared to

rail

mend and
(lemious

bitterly at thofe

excite

life,

mankind

who recom-

to fuch an ab-

but alfo to calumniate fuch

E 4

a condu&,

The Rights of Brutes.

64.

a condut, as impofture and arrogant pre-

fumption.

men

However,

of this kind

of their

will fuffer the juft punifliment

crimes
prior

both from gods

to

will

this,

and men

fufficiently

and

punifh

themfelves by fuch material affetions.

But we

fhall

now

proceed to another

inftance of a foreign nation, highly celebrated, juft and religious in divine concerns,

and

which abftained from animal food

this is the republic

This republic
is

diftributed

which comprehends
gifts,

of the Indians.

then,

into

many

fays Porphyry,
parts

one of

that kind of theolo-

denominated by the Greeks, gym-

nofophifls.

But of thefe

there are

two

feds, one called Bramins, the ether Sa-

maneans*

The Rights of Brutes.

The

maneans.
fucceed

as

65

family of the Bramins

regularly

in

the

profeffion

of this divine wifdom, as to the

But the Sauianeans

of the priefthood.
chofen

are

for

their

number

who

defire to

logy.

The

follows,

office

this

and

among

thofe

inftitution

fupplied from

apply themfclves to theo-

inftitutes

according

of thefe

men

are as

the writings

to

Bardefanes, the Babylonian,

who lived

of
in

the times of our fathers, and in India be-

came acquainted with

the aflbciates of

Damadamis, who were

fent

to Caefar.

All the Bramins, fays he, originate from

the

fame

flock, as they all defcend

the fame father and mother.

maneans

we

are not of the

from

But the Sa-

fame kind, but as

have already obferved, are colleded

from everv

tribe of Indians.

A Bramin
is

66
is

The Rights of Brutes.

no command, and

fubjeft to

from the exation of

tains,

while others

the river Ganges

inhabit

moun-

refide

on the banks of

and

they fubfilt on

autumnal

mountainous
certain

But among

tribute.

thefe philosophers, fome

free

is

fruits,

herbs, formed into

on

and

a concretion

with milk.

Thofe who dwell near

Ganges,

on the

duced

live

fruits

which

the

are pro-

abundance about that river;

in great

but the earth bears almoft continually recent fruit, and befides this,

fpontaneoufly produced,

when

there

they efteem

is

it

worfhip

fruit

and

extremely impure and im.

any other kind of nu-

or even to touch

This opinion

rice,

which they ufe

any deficiency of

pious, to fubfift on

triment,

much

fubfifts

divinity,

animal food.

among

and

thofe

exercife

who
piety.

Hence

The Rights of Brutes.

Hence they devote

the

day,

6j
and the

of the night, to the facred

greateft part

employment of

finging

hymns, and pray-

ing to the gods, each of them pofieffing a

fmall cottage, as

much

as poflible buried

in the depths of folitude; for the

Bramins

cannot endure to dwell together, nor to

fpeak

much

but whenever this congrefs

and difcourfe with each other happens,

returning afterwards to their accuftomed
retirement, they entirely refrain for

many

days together from

all

likewife often

but the Samaneans,

as

we

faft

have obferved,

other tribes

difcourfe

are chofen

and when any perfon

they

from
defires

to be enrolled in that order, he goes to the

matter of the city, and immediately abdicates the city or ftreet in

fided,

which he

re-

and rclinquifhcs whatever wealth

and

The Rights of Brutes.

68

and abundance he

poflefles.

place, purifying his body

In the next

from

all defile-

ments, and being inverted with a robe,

he departs

to the

Samaneans, never

bis wife or children,

wards returning to
(if

after-

he happens to be conne&ed with either

of thefe)

nor concerning himfelf about

them, nor confidering them as any longer

him

King

takes

care of the children, and procures

them

pertaining to

necefTary inftrution
his wife devolves

manner of

but the

and the fupport of

on her

living too

is

relations.
as follows

Their
:

they

dwell without the city, exercifing themfelves

throughout the day

concerning the Deity

in

difcourfes

and they are fur-

nifhed with groves and temples, raifed

by-

royal bounty, in which there are domeftic

flewards paid by the King, for the pur-

pofe

The Rights of Brutes.

69

who

pofe of fupplying thofe with food

aflemble in thefe places

but the appa-

ratus of their nutriment confifts of rice,

bread, apples, and

enter into

of a fmall

bell, thofe

When

they

on the ringing

houfes,

their

who

are not of their

and the Samaneans begin to

fel depart,

pray

olives.

afterwards, a fignal

again

being

given by the bell, they diftribute to every

one a

difli

or pan, (for

two

are not per-

mitted to eat out of the fame

feed

them from

rice.

variety of food,

and

veflel)

If any one dcfires

he has fome pot-herbs

added, or fome autumnal fruits

but as

foon as the wants of nature are fupplied,

they depart without
divine exercifes.

delay to the

They

all

live

fame

without

wives, and without poflefllng any external

abundance

and other Indians regard

this
feft,

The Rights of Brutes.

70

k&,

and that of the Bramins, with fuch

high veneration, that the

vifits

King himfelf

them, and begs that they will pray

to and fupplicate the gods,

(when enemies

kingdom) or give him fuch

aflault the

counfel as the fituation of his affairs requires.

Thefe philofophers

are fo affedted to-

wards death, that they bear with reluctance the whole of the prefent

life,

certain necefiary fervice of nature

haflen with

the greateft eagernefs

liberation of their fouls

of body.

and
to

from the bondage

when

Hence,

as a

they

perceive

their corporeal part in a flourifhing con-

dition, and are free

of

evil,

from the incurfions

they often fpontaneoufly depart

from the prefent

life;

and though they

previoufly

The Rights of Brutes.

71

previoufly declare their intention to others,

yet

no one prevents them

in its execution;

but the Gymnofophifts pronounce

who

are dead happy,

all

thofe

and deliver certain

inftru&ions to the familiars of the deceafed. So that the vulgar as well as thefe

from

philofophers,
cation,

are

firmly

converfe with

their

mode of edu-

perfuaded that

each

other

death*

after

But the friends of the deceafed,

after the

charge given by the Gymnofophifts,

mit the body to

fire,

that the foul

fouls

com-

may be

feparated with the greatcft poflible purity

from

its

connexion with the body, and

conclude the fervice by finging a hymn.

For indeed

thefe

men commit

their deareft

friends to the embraces of death with far

greater cheerfulnefs,

than others endure

the departure of their fellow-citizens

to

fome

The Rights of Brutes.

72
fome

own

they lament their

abiding in mortality

of the

happinefs

now

At

diftant country.

the fame time

as yet

fituation,

and proclaim the

deceafed,

who

have

obtained an immortal condition of

being."

Thus
all

far the excellent

which

it

Porphyry, from

evidently follows, that abfti-

nence from animal nutriment, which

is

the natural confequence of our fublime

theory,

is

may be

by no means a novelty, but

juftified

wifeft and

by the pralice of the

of men, in the

bcfl

periods of time.
objected,

that

it

may

according to

vegetables likewife
ftroycd,

But

earliefl

perhaps be

my

fyftem,

ought not to be de-

and eaten, on account of their

perfcd equality with the nature of brutes

and

;:

The Rights $f Brutes.

To

and men.
life

of a plant

is

this I

73

anfwer, that the

in itfelf fo inconfidcrable,

(though this deficiency

amply recoxn-

is

penfed by the beautiful organization of

its

corporeal frame) that

it

pofed to fuffer any pain in

and confequently

is

cannot be fbpits

decerption

not in reality injured,

by being made fubfervient to the

xnent of

much

man and

beaft.

to be wifhed, that

we

nourifli-

Indeed

it

is

could abftarn

from a vegetable aliment, without any

inconvenience to our compofition

Homer's

that, like

deities,

we were

and
fu-

periour to the want of meat and drink,

that

we might become

or that

what

we

is

truly immortal

could procure for our nature,

celebreted

in

fables,

againft hunger and thirll

remedy

and that (lop-

ping the flowing condition of our body,

which,

The Rights of Brutes.

74

which, like an ever-running ftream,

is

continually rolling into the dark fea of

matter, as into the abyfs of non-entity,

we

could immediately be prefent with the

beft

and

mod

exalted natures, and rife to

that condition

who

is

of being,

indeed,

tacies,

which

he,

conjoined by an ineffable union

with the deity,

this

in

who

is

is

himfelf a god.

one of Porphyry's

being a Platonift,

courfe fubjeft to

uncommon

But
ex-

was of

flights.

CHAP.

The Rights of Brutes.

chap.
On

75

vr.

Importance of underjlanding

the

Language of Brutes , and

to their

B*UT

rejloring

tie

them

natural equality with mankind.

it

now

is

time to confider the

importance of learning the language of

brutes

for

it

from

already evident

is

Porphyry, that they have a language of

their

own, and

by mankind.

that

may be

underftood

In order therefore

complifh this defign

manner,

it

fhall

in

mod

the

produce

to

ac-

perfect

variety

of

curious hiftories of brutal fagacity, from

the writings of Plutarch

and (hew

how

mankind may be

benefitted by aflbciating

with brutes,

on a

felves.

as

level

with them-

And

The Rights of Brutes.

76

And

may

that I

ladies, I (hall

beaft

firft

of

pleafe the

all

begin with the elephant, a

by nature very amorous

and from

his prodigious fize, very well calculated

to

become

gins,

the darling of our

who

vir-

having wifely laid afide the

foolifh veils of antiquity,

ed greater boldnefs,

midated

modern

and haveaflum*

are

feldom

inti-

any thing uncommonly large.

at

Plutarch then, in that treatife of his, in

which he

contrafts the fagacity of land

animals, with that of the aquatic fpecies,

obferves,

concerning

brutes, that

the

amours

of

fome are furious and mad

but that others obferve a kind of

human

decency, united with a very courtly kind

of converfation.

Such

The Rights of Brutes.

u Such

(fays he)

jj

was the amour of

the elephant at Alexandria, that rivalled

Ariftophanes the grammarian.

For they

were both

in love

garlands:

nor was the elephant's court-

with a virgin that fold

ship lefs confpicuous than the

rian's.

For

gramma*

as he pafled through the fruit-

market, he always bought her apples, and

and be-

flayed with her for

fome time

fides this, thrufting

his probofcis within

her waiftcoat, as a fubftitute for a hand,

took great delight in gently feeling her

breafts."

From

this

inftance,

concluded, that

if

it

may be

fairly

elephants were to afTo-

common

(each at the

fame time underftanding the

other's lan-

ciate

with ladies

in

guage) great and unexampled gallantries

F3

would

The Rights of Brutes.

78

would take place on each

mixt kind of
in

fpecies

and a

fide,

would be produced,

which the enchanting elegance of wo-

man would

be united with the prodigi-

ous ftrength and

bulk of the ele-

terrific

phant.

No lefs

charming, likewife, would be

the advantages arifing from an aflbciation

of the

fair fex

with dragons, as

is

evident

from the Hiftory of the Dragon,

was

an Etolian

love with

in

For he ufed

who

woman.

(fays Plutarch) to vifit her

in the night, and creeping under her gar-

ments

to

naked

body

her
;

very fkin,

embraced her

and never, either volun-

tarily or involuntarily,

injured her, but

always

gallantly

departed

break of day,

very

but

about

the relations of the

woman

Tht Rights of Brutes.

woman

obferving

that

this

79

was the

cuftom of the dragon, removed her to a

confiderable diftance from this

amorous

the dragon

was not

After

fpot

this

feen for the fpace of three or four days

being

all this

time, as

ing in fearch of hen

with great

ing

it

feemed, wander*

But

difficulty

at

length hav-

found out the

place of her abode, he accofted her fome-

what

lefs gallant

and with the

firft

and gentle than before

folds of his body,

bound her hands and arms, he

having
laftied

the calves of her legs, with the end of

his tail

expreflingby this means a gentle

and loving anger, which contained more

of indulgent expostulation than punish-

ment.

F4

Plutarch

Tht Rights of Brutes.

8o

Plutarch adds,

that he fhall

fay no-

thing refpe&ing a goofe in Egypt in love

with a boy

Gkuce

nor of the ram in love with

that played

(fays he) the ftory

on the harp, becaufev

is

well

known

to every

Indeed the inftances already ad-

one.

duced are

fufficient to

convince the faga-

cious reader, that prodigious benefits

arife

mud

from the mutual converfe and co-

pulation of fpecies, which have hitherto

been confidered as unallicd and inimical

to each other.

And

here I cannot refrain from

men-

tioning a moft fingular advantage, which

would

arife

when

their language is

ftood by us

from an aflbciation with dogs,

perfe&ly under-

the advantage I allude to,

refpe&s a thing of no

lefs

importance than
the

The Rights (f Brutes.

8t

the inftruftion of youth in one of the

tnoft interefting particulars belonging to

how

Every one knows

juvenile tuition.

univerfally prevalent the pra&ice of felf-

pollution

how

is

become amongft

dreadful

litating the

its

children

and

confequences are in debi*

conftitution,

the morals of the

and corrupting

unhappy youths who

are the votaries of this deteftable vice.

Now

extraordinary

that

Wollftonecraft,

remedy

for

that great

genius,

propofes the

this

Mrs*

following

pernicious pra&ice,

work of

in

hers, called, Elements

of Morality for Children*

i"

am

tho-

roughly perfuaded (fays fhe) that the moft

efficacious
evil,

method

to root out this dreadful

which poifons the fource of human

happinefs, would be to fpeak to children

# Page

4 of the Introductory Addrefs.

of

The Rights of Brutes.

82

of the organs of generation as

we

fpeak of the other parts of the body,

and explain

to

them the noble

She adds, "

be injured/'
verged with

mafters on

confirmed

beyond

of her

this

me
all

moft

the

in

which

they

may

have confchool-

fenfible

and they have

fubjeft,

my

ufe,

how

they were defigned for, and

is

freely as

opinion. "

This plan

doubt a moft ftriking proof

uncommon

capacity, and the truth

of her grand theory, the

equality

$f the fe-

male nature with the male\ for whoever

confiders this affair with the attention
deferves,

muft be convinced, that

dren were but told

may

how

be injured, and

employed

in a

if chil-

the genital parts

how

natural

it

they are to be

way, they would

not have the leaf! curiofity to

make any
experi-

Tfje Rights

of Brutes.

83

experiments, which might tend to fruftrate

the benevolent intention of nature.

But however great and original

thought
very

may

much

be, yet

it

this

woulcf certainly be

improved, by committing the

inftru&ion of youth in this particular to

dogs

for

thefe fagacious

animals, all

of whom appear to be Cynic philofophers,

would not only be very well

calculated to

explain the noble ufe for which the parts

were defigned, but would be very willing,

at

any time, and

in

them fpecimens of

any place, to give

the operation of the

parts in the natural way.

tion, that they

how

Not

to

men-

would likewife teach them

to get above thofe foolifh habits, de-

cency and fliame, which

falfe

opinion

firft

intro-

The Rights of Brutes.

84.

introduced, and ridiculous cuflom after-

wards has

we mud

"But

phant
derful

fo deeply confirmed.

fince

appears that thefe

animals are no

fair.

won-

lefs calculated to

of furgeons, than to pleafe

at the part

the

it

not yet difmifs the ele-

"

For being brought

(fays

Plutarch) to perfons that are wounded,

they will extradt the heads of fpears and

arrows from their bodies,

with a very

fmall degree of pain, and without dilacerating and mangling the flefh."

Now

the advantages which would refult to apo*

thecaries

and phyficians,

from entering

into partnership with thefe animals, are

fo important, that they will doubtlefs be

greedily

embraced

by

all

the

medical
tribe.

The Rights of Brutes.

tribe.

For

in the

to apothecaries,

fir ft
it

$5

place, with refpedfc

known, that

well

is

they are obliged to aft in the double capacity of phyficians and furgeons,

caufes their

employment

rious, efpeciaily
clafs,

For

who

to

which

to be very labo-

of the lowed

thofe

belong to the order of the foot.

thefe gentlemen are divided into three

tribes, the firft

thofe

who

fublimely ride to their patients

in chariots,

of thofe

and higheft confiding of

without footmen; the fecond,

who

ride to the fick

and the third

tribe,

which

on horfeback
is

by

far the

mod

numerous, being compofed of thofe

who

vifit their

in

patients

on

foot

and

who

wet weather arm themfelves with a

and in

great coat and umbrella

with a fafhionable cane.

Now thefe gen-

fine,

tlemen, by fpeaking to the elephant, and

pcrfuading

The Rights of Brutes.

86

perfuading thefe noble animals to become

would derive the following

their partners,

amazing advantages from

ciation

for they

might

an aflb-

ftich

ride

on the backs

of their elephants, and might commit the

whole

department to the entire

furgical

management of thefe bulky

mention, that

as the

beafts

not to

man

weight of one

muft be very inconsiderable

to an elephant,

they might with eafe carry

all

forts

remedies upon the backs of their

of

aflfo-

ciates,

and thus fave a prodigious deal of

time,

trouble

niftering medicines

And

on the

fpot.

in the fecond place,

cians, riding

by admi-

and expence,

as to phyfi-

on the elephant would fave

them

the expence of a carriage

beaft

being

fo

and

this

remarkably ftrong, they

might

The Rights of Brutes.

might

eafily

have a large cheft fattened to

his back, for

their

fees,

87

the purpofe of depofiting

which

prefent, in

at

quence of being fecured

confe-

their waift-

in

coat pockets, they find very troublefome,

from

their quantity

But the elephant

and weight.

is

not the only beaft

with which the medical tribe might a(Tociate, to great

advantage

for

many

other

animals are as capable of forming great

phyficians, as elephants are of

becoming

" For we may

incomparable furgeons.

obferve (fays Plutarch) in other animals,

a three-fold innate pra&ice of medicine.

Thus,

for inftance, tortoifes

and weafels eat

bafilf

devoured a ferpent
felves

rice,

make

when

ufe of

they have

and dogs purge them-

from abounding

bile,

with a particular

The Rights of Brutes.

88

cular kind of grafs

the dragon fharpens

the dimnefs of his fight with fennel

the bear,

long

when

and

fhe leaves her cave, after

emaciation,

called wild dragons

feeds
;

upon the herb

becaufe the acrimony

of this herb opens and feparates her inteftines,

At

when

other times,

they are clung together.

when

fatiated

with food,

fhe repairs to the emmet-hills, and thriv-

ing out her tongue,

all foft

and undluous,

through the fweet kind of

(lime with

which

is

it

is

inveloped,

with emmets,

fhe at

till

it

crowded
fwallows

length

them, and thus recovers her health

it is

and

reported, that the Egyptians obferve

and imitate the bird called

Ibis,

in

purg-

ing and cleanfing her bowels with the

briny water of the fea

when

Hence

they purify themfelves,

the priefts,

make

ufc of
the

The Rights of Brutes.

the water of

which

89

the Ibis has drank

for thefe birds will not drink the water,

if

it

be medicinal, or otherwife infe&ed.

There

fome

are likewife

beafts that cure

themfelves by abftinence, as wolves and

lions,

who, when they are over-gorged

with animal food,

crudities

lie ftill,

and digeft their

by the warmth of one another's

bodies."

Now

as there

is

no reafon whatever to

doubt the truth of thefe relations, fuch

fpecimens of medical
the

(kill

when

thefe

through their

aflb-

moft incredulous,

animals are tamed

ciation with

muft convince

that

mankind, we may expeft to

fee phyficians equal to the

among men,

in

moft

illuftrious

the perfons of bears,

dragons and weafels

and

till all

diftinc-

tions

The Rights of Brutes.

90
tions

among mankind

event which

happen)

may

it is

to be

do not

are

levelled, (an

hoped will fhortly

fee

why an

elephant

not become the king's principal fur-

geon, and a bear his phyfician in ordinary, as foon as the language of beafts
univerfally

known,

is

or at lead underftood,

by the principal perfons

at court.

CHAP.

The Rights of Brutes.

CHAP.
That

91

VII.

Magptes are naturally Muficians

Oxen Arithmeticians; and Dogs

JCjUT

let

we might

now

us

fee

Actors.

what advantages

derive from an amicable

ciation with other animals, fuch as

pies,

oxen, and dogs.

magpie,

the

And

to begin

aflTo-

magwith

following ftory, from

the

the above-mentioned treatife of Plutarch,

indifputably proves that this bird naturally
poflbfles mufical abilities in the

moft ex-

traordinary degree.

"

A certain

barber in

Rome, who had

a (hop dixedlly oppofite to the Temple,

G2

which

The Rights of Brutes.

92
which

is

called the Greek's

Market, bred

mag-

in his houfe a miraculous kind of a

pie,

who was

the

greateft

perpetually chattering with

variety

imaginable

human

times imitating

fpeech

fomc-

fome-

times talking in thofe wild notes peculiar

to her nature

the founds of

was

all

and fometimes

humming
Nor

wind inftruments.

this the refult

of any conftraint,

but the confequence of that extraordinary

ambition, by which fhe accuftomed herfelf to leave

nothing unfpoken, and no-

thing

her

that

fhould

imitation

not

matter.

It

happened that a certain perfon of the

wealthier fort,

neighbourhood,

and

was

buried, with a great

lately

dead in

the

out

be

carried

to

number of trumpets
before

The Rights of Brutes.

Now

before him.

becaufe

93

it

was the

cuftom of the bearers to

refl

before the barber's (hop

the trumpeters,

who were

themfelves

excellent in their art, and

commanded

fo to do, (lopped a long

at this place, playing

were
time

on their inftruments

the while.

all

But
tirely

after that day, the

mute, not

wanted

admired

(lie

as uttering the

called for

fo that paficngers

what

who before

of the bird, were

the. loquacity

now much more

filence

much

by which

tifual notes,
(lie

fo

magpie was en-

furprifed at her fudden

and many fufpeSed her to have

been poifoned by perfons affe&ing peculiar

flvill

in teaching thofe

kind of birds

but the greatcft number were of opinion,

that the noife of the trumpets had ftupi-

fied

The Rights of Brutes.

9+

fied her hearing,

and that

in

confequence

of this fhe was likewife deprived of the

ufe of her voice.

But indeed the caufe of her unufual

was not

filcnce

cffe&s

the refult of either of thefe

but arofe from her retiring to

what

exercife by herfelf, the imitation of

fhe had heard, and to

fit

voice, to exprefs in the

and prepare her

fame manner as

the infiruments what /he had learnt

for

foon after fhe fuddenly made her appearance, but had quitted
tations,

all

her former imi-

founding nothing but the mufic

of the trumpets,

and obferving

all

the

changes and cadences of the harmony,

with

an

inconceivable

exaftnefs

of

time/'

Now

Tf?e Right*

Now

from

of Brutes.

this curious hiftory, it evi-

dently follows, that magpies,

perly disciplined,

known

perfectly

9$

when

pro-

(their

language being

to us),

might in time

form a mufical band equal

to

that

at

Vauxhall; and thus being employed in(lead of

men, by the proprietors of

elegant place, might fave

gious expence

fince

it

that

them a prodi-

docs not appear

from any accounts, ancient or modern,

that

either

birds

or beads

are

money-

getting animals.

Ecfidcs,

they would

form admirable

clerks for diflenting meeting-houfes

for

as the diflcnters have a great objction to

inftrumental mufic in divine fervice, not

becaufe of the harmony, but becaufe

it

is

inftrumental, the magpie by his imitative

art

The Rights of Brutes.

96

would prefent them with

art

all

the variety

of inftrumental melody, and yet

it

would

thefe

birds

be ftri&ly vocal.

The

of

loquacity indeed

appears to be fo admirable, that I fee no

reafon

why

they might not

cellent methodift parfons

become ex-

for they could

doubtlefs as well imitate vehement de-

clamation, and vociferate barbaric cant,

found of the trumpet,

as counterfeit the

and utter the apparently wild notes of

nature.

And
us

now

thus

much

for the

proceed to the ox,

magpie: let

who

has been

unjuftly characterized with the epithet of

dull; as the following hiftory will

abun-

dantly evince.

" At

The Rights of Brutes.

u At

97

Sufa (fays Plutarch) there are oxen

that water the King's gardens with port-

of which the number

able buckets,
fixed

for every

buckets every day

ox
;

carries

is

a hundred

and more than

this,

you cannot by any means force them to

For indeed, when

carry.

conftraint has

been ufed for experiment's fake, nothing

could

make them

number

ried their full

do

account
their

ftir

after they
;

they take,

memory,

had car-

fuch an accurate

and preferve in

as Ctefias,

the Gnidian,

relates."

Now who can doubt

but that

if the

fame pains were taken with

we

take with our youth, they

oxen, as

would
cians;

after reading this,

become
and

excellent

by being

taught

arithmetito

write

with

The Rights of Brutes.

98

with their hoofs (which

man

impra&icablc than for a

with

his toes,

poflible)

their

with

write

know

all

is

clerks, or indeed bankers

merchants

themfelves
to gold,

indifference
all

to

might form admirable bankers

and merchants
and

we

and which

no more

furely

is

and from

in

common

animals but man, by depofiting

their gains in

the Treafury, might help

to pay off the national debt.

Nor
to

are dogs lefs calculated

become

great

aflors,

form good arithmeticians,

by nature

than oxen to
as the follow-

ing ftory will, no doubt, fully convince

the managers of both the theatres.

" There was

dog

at

Rome

(fays

Plutarch) belonging to a certain mimic,

who

The Rights of Brutes.

who

at

that time had the

99

management

of a farce, confiding of a great variety

of parts

in

the performance of

which

he undertook to infiruft the aflors, by

teaching them the feveral imitations proper for the tranfjftions and paflions re-

Among

presented in the farce.

there

was one who was

potion, and after he

to

fall

into

the reft

to drink a flecpy

had drank

it,

deadly drowfinefs,

was
and

counterfeit the alions of a dying perfon.

The

dog,

who had

fludted feveral of the

other gefiurcs and pofhires, obferving this

with greater attention,

took a piece of

bread that was fopped in the potion, and

in a (hort

time after he had eat

it,

coun-

terfeited a trembling, then a daggering,

and afterwards a drowfinefs,

Then

in his head.

ftretching hiinfelf out, he lay as if

he

The Rights of Brutes.

ico

he had been dead

and feemed to

offer

himfelf to be dragged out of the place,

and carried to burial, as the plot of the

But

play required.

ftanding the proper time, from

faid

and aded

gently to

flir,

in the

as

found deep, and

ed on

if

amazement of

place he began

firfi

up

lifting

with

his head,

the

all

fo

whom

figns

Theatre)

was

to the

that all the

prefent

in

Dp

he be-

of joy and

and even Cxfar himfelf

Vefpafian

gaz-

the beholders, he rofe

fawning kindnefs
tators,

a pro-

and then

and went to the mafler to

longed,

what was

waking out of

around him

all

under-

afterwards

fpec-

(for old

Marcellus's

were highly pleafed with the

it

7 hi

Rights of Brutts.

me,

It appears to

relation that the

manner equal
is

IOJ

confefs from this

dog muft have afted

to

in a

Garrick himfelf : and

to be hoped, that the

it

managers of our

theatres, in confequence of paying proper

attention to this wonderful flory,

in a fhort time,

bring on the fbge dogs

and puppies, to aft

men,
is

till

known

much

at lcaft jointly

common

and

when

that

to be defired event (hall take place,

that they will fuffcr

them

to aft

felves, to the infinite delight

lefs fpeftators

aft,

with

of thefe animals

the language
in

will,

for furely

the theatres will

by them-

of number-

when puppies

be uncommonly

full.

might here enlarge greatly on the

prodigious benefits which would arife to

mankind

102

The Rights of Brutes.

mankind

from

with

affociating

fifhcs,

through the means of a fubmarine navigation,

which

Bifiiop

Wilkins has de-

monftrated to be pra&icable, in his in-

genious treatife on Mathematical Magic

but this would too

much exceed

However,

of the prefent work.

leader

is

convi&ion

defirous
in

this

only confult the

the limits

of

if the

obtaining perfe&

particular,

latter part

he

need

of the fo often

mentioned curious treatife of Plutarch, and

he will

find that fifhes are

ous than land animals

no

lefs fugaci-

and that of courfe

the advantages arifing from refloring

to their natural equality with

are not lefs

thofe

we have

numerous and

them

mankind,

great,

than

already taken notice of, in

the terreftrial and aerial tribes.

And

The Rights of Brutes.

And

thus

much may

mud

It

only

fuffice,

now

for an

remains

(and this

be the province of fome abler hand)

to demonftrate the

fimilar

raoft

ble clod of earth

theory

fame great truth in a

manner, of vegetables, minerals,

and even the

being

difcuifed,

and

apparently contemptithat thus this fublime

copioufly
its

and

accurately

truth eftablifhed

indifputable ferics of fats,

may

03

brutes arc equal to

hiflorical proof, that

mem

by an

government

be entirely fubverted, fubordination

abolifhcd, and all things every where,

in every refpeft, be

common

THE END*

to all.

and