impious crime of ingratitude, the tender body of the timorous stag. Why does he not enjoy the same privilege of the inoffensive sheep, whose death is procured with much less pain and torment by the expeditious knife? Why is this trepidating, timorons, weeping, half-humanized animal, selected to procure, by agonizing pain, testified by almost human tears, joy to hearts which should possess superior sympathy as well as superior dignity. Whence is it that the human heart can be so perverted and unnatural, as to receive emotions of pleasure from causes of pity; repay tears, with slaughter; shrieks of pain with acclamations of joy; duration of misery, with the expectation of hope; and the relief of torment by death?
The kings of England seem to have been celebrated hunters. By this sport, one of them, and the son of another, lost their lives. James I, according to Scaliger, "was merciful, except at the chase; he was then cruel, and very angry, when he could not catch the stag. When he had him, he would put his arm entire into the belly and entrails of the beast."
"The hunt, on Tuesday last, commenced near Salthill, and afforded a chace of upwards of fifty-miles. His Majesty was present at the death, near Iring, in Hertfordshire. It is the first deer that has been run to death for many months; and when opened, it's heart strings were found to be quite rent; supposed to have been effected by excessive exertion in running!"—General Advertiser, March 4, 1784.
Let those who can feel no sympathy with the heart-rending groans of the victim, join only with the blood hounds, from whose ravenous fangs the huntsman snatches the prey, in howlings of disappointed brutality. O poverty! if thou art in the enjoyment of
