that they have been known to purchase cattle at an extraordinary price, merely to fave them from flaughter; compaffionately thinking the lowing heifer, or the bleating lamb, an equal, though an humble heir of existence, with themselves. What, then, would men of this exalted benevolence think of the British nation, were they to fee with what folemnity the right of murdering an innocent partridge, or a harmless hare, is fettled by the legislative power of the kingdom? were they to fee the armies, which, at particular feafons, iffue forth to destroy the warbling inhabitants of the air, for actual diverfion; the fporting tenants of the river, for idle recreation? But above all, what would they feel to fee a generous domestic little bird, fcandalously tied to the stake, and denied the fmalleft change of life, at the eve of a facred faft, fet apart by our holy religion for the purposes of extraordinary fanctity, and the business of unufual mortification?-It is impoffible to imagine what they would feel, when there are even Chriftians to be found, who cannot fee the practice without horror, nor think of it without tears!

1

I am far from carrying my notions of tenderness to the animal creation beyond the bounds of reason, as the Brachmins do, who think it irreligious to feed upon any thing which has been ever endued with life; because I believe, the great Author of all things

things defigned these animals principally for the ufe and fuftenance of man: yet, at the fame time that I suppose they were formed by the Deity for the relief of our neceffities, I cannot imagine he ever intended they should be tortured through wantonnefs, or deftroyed for diverfion; nor can I imagine, but that even the fuperftitious forbearance of the Brachmins is infinitely more pleafing in his fight, than the inconfiderate cruelty of those who profess an immediate obedience to his word. A God, all mercy, never takes delight in the unneceffary agony of a creature, whom he has been pleased to endue with existence; we therefore offer an infult to him, when we give a needlefs pang to the meaneft of his creatures; and abfolutely pervert the defign of his providence, whenever we facrifice thofe animals to our amufements, which he has conftituted entirely for the relief of our wants. I have thrown out these reflections with a benevolent purpose, as fuch numbers of the ignorant and the thoughtless are apt to promote their amufements at the expence of their humanity; fhould what I have here offered be attended with the reformation but of an individual, I fhall think my time well employed. Ridicule I muft naturally expect from numbers, for daring to combat with favourite prejudices; but it is my confolation, that no witticism whatever, which may be

aimed

aimed at me as a writer, can, on the present subject of animadverfion, do me the minuteft injury as a man.

LORENZO AND VIOLETTA.

A MATRIMONIAL TALE.

FAM

'AMILY divifions frequently fpring from very immaterial accidents, which gather ftrength by repetition, till they are augmented in fo formidable a manner, as to fweep before them all the domestic virtues, and abolish all the amiable tenderness for which woman was originally intended by the divine Creator. I have been a frequent fpectator of such scenes of infelicity. Where I was in most expectation of finding the celeftial feeds of connubial happiness flourishing in exquifite beauty, there have I been the most disappointed. Instead of beholding a paradife, I have found nothing but a garden of noxious weeds; which occafions me to publish the following obfervations. For thefe may be of utility to fociety; as by holding up the mirror to the view of inadvertency, they may affright her with her own deformity.

LORENZO and VIOLETTA, have been married upwards of three years: they were equally matched, both in refpect of fortune and age; the one being

fufficiently

fufficiently affluent for the purchase, and the other for the enjoyment, of the pleafures of life. For fome time after the celebration of the nuptials, they entertained a reciprocal affection. She was all fondnefs, he all indulgence. But their intimacy, inftead of increafing, diminished their regard. Her beauty, the more it was familiar to his eye, grew lefs attractive to his heart; and his converfation grew lefs engaging, the more fhe partook of the natural levity of her fex. He renewed his bacchanalian acquaintance; he found more pleasure in discharging her vifits, than her domeftic offices. In fhort, both became difintentionally indifferent; their meals were irregular, their converfation little; till, at laft, their affection feemed dwindled away to nothing, but a ceremonial complaifance. Nature was foon more predominant than the ties of gentility, or the rules of decency. Their tempers were perpetually bursting the formality of reserve; trivial accidents gave alternate uneafiness to one or the other; which were productive of fuch difputes, as often terminated in a fhiness for two and fometimes for three days together. Though they were both fo far eftranged from the lambent flame of love, their difagreement very frequently exhibited a conviction of their honesty, by a recollection which juft ferved to blow up the dormant embers of affection; but ftill they were continually

continually manifefting the difference of their tempers. They were both haftily paffionate; he was fometimes furlily ill-natured, while fhe was too apt to conceive what he never intended. They were

both fenfible of their folly, yet they still perfifted in their obftinacy: if he fpoke warm, fhe reddened with a glow of anger; if he was defirous of tranquillity, fhe grew turbulent. The vanity of pedigree, and the oftentation of fortune, were often handled backwards and forwards; this ufhered in indecency from him, and left her abandoned to a mifguided paffion.

Reiterated quarrels aggravated their imprudence: he frequently fwore, fhe railed; and blows enfued. She felt the effects of his violence; he bore the marks of her fury. When their paffions abated, fhe fat pensively venting the gufhing forrows from her eyes; he grew mollified, and, after innumerable careffes, recompofed her agitated fpirits. The quarrel renewed their tenderness: they gently upbraided themselves, confeffed their folly, refolved to oppofe the excurfions of paffion, and for fome time lived with all the appearance of a durable felicity. But when paffion has once got the head, reason vainly attempts to guide the rein. Though Lorenzo and Violetta, on the repetition of every quarrel, became fenfible of their fmothered affection, yet they never endeavoured