nion though in diftinguishing a horfe from an ass, he affirms the mule they generate to be barren; yet afterward, entirely forgetting his rule, he admits the direct contrary (a). At that rate, a horfe and an afs are of the fame fpecies. Did it never once enter into the mind of this author, that the human race would be ftrangely imperfect, if they were unable to diftinguish a man from a monkey, or a hare from a hedge-hog, till it were known whether they can procreate together?

But it seems unneceffary after all to urge any argument against the foregoing rule, which M. Buffon himself inadvertently abandons as to all animals, men and dogs. excepted. We are indebted to him for a remark, That not a fingle animal of the torrid zone is common to the old world and to the new. But how does he verify his remark? Does he ever think of trying whether fuch animals can procreate together?" They are," fays he, "of differ

ent kinds, having no fuch resemblance as to make us pronounce them to be of "the fame kind. Linnæus and Briffon,"

(4) Vol. 12. p. 223.

he

he adds, "have very improperly given "the name of the camel to the lama and

"the pacos of Peru. So apparent is the

"difference, that other writers clafs thefe "animals with sheep. Wool however is "the only circumftance in which a pa

66

cos resembles a fheep: nor doth the la

ma refemble a camel except in length "of neck." He diftinguifheth, in the fame manner, the true Afiatic tiger from several American animals that bear the fame name. He mentions is fize, its force, its ferocity, the colour of its hair, the ftripes black and white that like rings furround alternately its trunk, and are continued to the tip of its tail; "characters," fays he, "that clearly diftinguish the true tiger "from all animals of prey in the new "world; the largeft of which fearce e

quals one of our maftives." And he reafons in the fame manner upon the other animals of the torrid zone (a). Here truth obliges our author to acknowledge, that we are taught by nature to distinguish animals into different kinds by vifible

(a) See vol. 8. fect. Of animals common to the two continents.

marks,

marks, without regard to his artificial rule. And if fo, there must be different kinds of men; for certain tribes differ vifibly from each other, no less than the lama and pacos from the camel or from the sheep, nor lefs than the true tiger from the American animals of that name*. For proving that dogs were created of different kinds, what better evidence can be expected than that the kinds continue diftinct to this day? Our author pretends to derive the maftiff, the bull-dog, the hound, the greyhound, the terrier, the water-dog, &c. all of them from the prick-eared fhepherd's cur. Now, admitting the progeny of the original male and female cur to have fuffered every poffible alteration from climate, food, domeftication; the refult would be endlefs varieties, fo that no one individual fhould refemble another. Whence then are derived the different fpecies of dogs above mentioned, or the different races or varieties, as M. Buffon is pleafed to name

*No perfon thinks that all trees can be traced back to one kind. Yet the figure, leaves, fruit, &c. of different kinds, are not more distinct, than the difference of figure, colour, &c. in the different races of men.

them?

them? Uniformity invariable must be a law in their nature, for it never can be afcribed to chance. There are mongrels, it is true, among dogs, from want of choice, or from a depraved appetite: but as all animals prefer their own kind, mongrels are few compared with animals of a true breed. There are mongrels alfo among men: the feveral kinds however continue distinct; and probably will fo continue for ever.

There remains an argument against the fyftem of M. Buffon with refpect to dogs, ftill more conclufive. Allowing to climate its utmost influence, it may poffibly have an effect upon the fize and figure; but furely M. Buffon cannot seriously think, that the different inftincts of dogs are owing to climate. A terrier, whose prey burrows under ground, is continually scraping the earth, and thrufting its nofe into it. A hound has always its nofe on the furface, in order to trace a hare by fmell. The fame inftinct is remarkable in fpaniels. It is by nature that these creatures are directed to be continually going about, to catch the fmell, and trace their prey. A greyhound, which has not VOL. I.

C

the

the fmelling-faculty, is conftantly looking about for its prey. A fhepherd's dog may be improved by education, but nature prompts it to guard the flock. A houfe-dog makes its round every night to protect its mafter against ftrangers, without ever being trained to it. Such dogs have a notion of property, and are trufty guardians of their master's goods: in his abfence, no perfon dares lay hold of his hat or his great coat. Waggoners employ dogs of that kind to watch during night the goods they carry. Is it conceivable, that fuch different inftincts, conftantly the fame in the fame fpecies, can proceed from climate, from mixture of breed, or from other accidental caufe?

The celebrated Linnæus, inftead of defcribing every animal according to its kind, as Adam our firft parent did, has wandered far from nature in claffing animals. He diftributes them into fix claffes, viz. Mammalia, Aves, Amphibia, Pifces, Infecta, Vermes. The Mammalia are diftributed into seven orders, chiefly from their teeth, viz. Primates, Bruta, Fera, Glires, Pecora, Bellua, Ceta. And the Primates

are,