,illustration3 ,,frontispiece4          
,,kindness ,,to ,,animals2  ,,or1 ,,the 
,sin of ,cruelty  ,,exposed ,,and       
,,rebuked4   ,illustration   ,,revised  
,,by ,,the ,,committee ,,of             
,,publication ,,of ,,the ,,american     
,,sunday-,,school ,,union4              
,,philadelphia3 ,,american              
,,sunday-,,school ,,union1 #adf         
,,chestnut ,,street4     ,entered       
according to act of ,congress1 in the   
year #ahde1 by ,,herman ,,cope1         
,treasurer1 in trust for the ,american  
,sunday-school ,union1 in the ,clerk's  
,office of the ,district ,court of the  
,eastern ,district of ,pennsylvania4    
,,kindness ,,to ,,animals4              
,,kindness ,,to ,,animals4              
,illustration  ,,chapter ,i4  ,,about   
,,the ,,beginning4   ,many books have   
been written about animals1 and very    
good books too1 giving a great deal of  
information4 ,most of them are called   
works of ,natural ,history2 and they    
usually give some description of the    

birds and beasts1 fishes and insects1   
that are known to man4 ,i am not going  
to write such a book as that2 but to say
 a little about different kinds of      
creatures that we are all in the habit  
of seeing1 and to tell you a few things 
of some which have belonged to me1 or   
have come under my own observation2 so  
that1 at least1 ,i can promise to write 
nothing but what ,i know to be true4 ,i 
have not learned their characters and   
habits from books1 but by watching them 
ever since ,i was a very young child2   
and many a happy hour ,i have spent in  
that delightful employment4  ,one of the
 first things that it came into my      
little head to ask was1 ,how were the   
animals made2 and why were any of them  
made wild and cruel1 while some are tame
 and quiet8 ,i was told that the ,bible 
gave an answer to that question2 and so 
it does4 ,if we look in the first       
chapter of ,genesis1 where there is an  
account of the creation of the world1 we
 find that on the fifth day ,god created

 the fishes to move in the water1 and   
the fowls to fly in the air2 and on the 
sixth day1 ,god made the beast of the   
earth after his kind1 and cattle after  
their kind1 and every thing that        
creepeth upon the earth after his kind3 
and ,god saw that it was good4 ,from    
this we learn1 that there was no        
violence or cruelty in any of them1 as  
they first came from the hand of the    
holy and merciful ,god4 ,and ,i would   
have you take particular notice of what 
directly follows3 ,and ,god said1 ,let  
us make man in our image1 after our     
likeness2 and let them have dominion    
over the fish of the sea1 and over the  
fowl of the air1 and over the cattle1   
and over all the earth1 and over every  
creeping thing that creepeth upon the   
earth4 ,now1 the great ,god is          
invisible--a ,spirit--and not a body1 as
 ,i think you all know2 and when it is  
said that ,god made man in his own      
image1 it must mean that man was made to
 be holy1 and just1 and good1 and       

merciful2 and he was made to be a       
careful and loving ruler over the poor  
dumb creatures1 as the ,lord ,god is a  
careful and loving ruler over all that  
he has created4  ,then1 in the next     
chapter1 we have a beautiful picture    
before us3 ,i do not mean a print1 or   
drawing1 but a description in words1    
that1 if we think a little1 will make us
 fancy we see a lovely sight1 such as we
 cannot now see anywhere4 ,we are told  
that out of the ground the ,lord ,god   
formed every beast of the field1 and    
every fowl of the air2 and then that ,he
 brought them unto ,adam to see what he 
would call them3 and whatsoever ,adam   
called every living creature1 that was  
the name thereof4  ,was it not a        
wonderful and a beautiful sight8 ,there1
 in a very delicious garden1 full of all
 manner of rich fruit and bright        
flowers1 with soft warm air1 and calm   
sunshine1 was the first and only man in 
all the world6 ,he was righteous and    
good1 without any malice1 or cruelty1 or

 covetousness1 or pride in his heart1   
looking with delight upon the creatures 
that came about him as their rightful   
ruler1 to receive their names4  ,can you
 not fancy how he must have admired the 
noble and beautiful creatures as they   
meekly and lovingly came to him8 ,the   
mighty lion1 shaking the curls of his   
mane1 and fixing his eyes 7not then     
fierce and fiery1 but bright and joyous7
 on the man1 who1 by ,god's gift1 was   
mightier than he2 the great elephant1   
putting out his trunk to caress his new 
master1 and passing on to rest under the
 shadow of some stately tree2 the horse1
 with his arching neck and prancing     
movements2 the fond dog2 the gentle     
sheep2 the peacock1 with its plumes of  
blue1 and green1 and gold2 the majestic 
snow-white swan2 the little linnet2 the 
robin-redbreast2 and that most          
beautiful1 tiny creature1 the           
humming-bird2 the gay butterfly2 the    
bee4 ,it is impossible to go over the   
names of even what we know by sight1 of 

the good creatures of ,god1 who on that 
sixth day of the creation came about our
 first father1 to receive just what name
 he was pleased to give them4 ,but ,i   
often think about it1 because it keeps  
me in mind that the ,lord ,god never    
overlooks any thing which he has seen   
good to make4  ,but what changed the    
animals so sadly as they must have been 
changed1 to become what some of them are
 now8 ,that we learn in the next        
chapter4 ,eve listened to the wicked    
temptation of ,satan1 and disobeyed the 
good and gracious ,lord ,god1 and       
persuaded ,adam to do the same4 ,so     
every thing was altered3 they were      
driven out of that fair garden into the 
wide world1 the ground of which was     
cursed for man's sake2 and this curse1  
which fell upon the earth1 made it bring
 forth thorns and thistles1 and then it 
was very difficult for man to make it   
fruitful1 till he had cut and bruised it
 with iron spades and ploughshares1 and 
bestowed a great deal of labour upon it4

 ,this sad curse was on the animals too2
 not by their fault1 poor things6 but by
 man's dreadful sin4 ,for1 you see1 it  
was ,god who made them subject to man2  
and when man became a rebel and traitor 
to ,god1 the creatures turned against   
him1 and against each other4 ,oh1 it is 
sad to think of all the misery and crime
 brought into the world by the          
ungrateful disobedience of man to his   
heavenly ,king and ,father6  ,however1  
it did happen once again that a thing as
 wonderful though not so beautiful was  
seen3 indeed1 we may say more wonderful1
 considering how the nature of the      
creatures had been changed for the      
worse4 ,when all the world had become so
 wicked that ,god resolved to destroy   
every human being from off the face of  
the earth1 except ,noah and his family1 
,he directed that pious man to make an  
ark1 as you all know--an immense ship1  
or floating house--in which he was to be
 preserved on the surface of the waters 
for many days4 ,when this great ark was 

ready1 ,god caused a pair of each from  
among all the animals and birds to come 
to ,noah1 and to enter into the ark4 ,of
 some kinds there were seven1 and of    
none less than two4 ,this was a very    
great miracle2 and it shows us1 too1 how
 perfectly the ,lord knows and numbers  
all the works of his hands1 and how     
tenderly he cares for them all4 ,this is
 one of the things that we are apt to   
forget when have a beast1 or a bird1 or 
a fish1 or an insect1 in our power4 ,we 
are too ready to say to ourselves1 ,this
 is mine1 and ,i may do what ,i like to 
it4 ,not so2 it is a creature of ,god's1
 not of ours2 and if we do to it any    
thing that he does not approve of1 he   
will surely reckon with us for it4 ,when
 ,i call this to mind1 ,i am            
alarmed--though ,i do not think ,i have 
often been cruel to animals1 or any such
 thing--and ,i am ready to pray1 ,lord1 
if ,i have hurt any of thy creatures1   
pardon my past sin1 for ,jesus ,christ's
 sake1 ,i beseech thee2 and give me     

grace to be merciful for the future4    
,now1 having told you how ,i got        
instructed when ,i was little1 ,i shall 
give you the history of some animals and
 birds that ,i have had1 and how ,i     
treated them1 and what amusement they   
gave me4 ,i am sure if you knew how very
 amusing they all are1 when left to     
their own harmless ways1 and gently     
restrained from ways that are not       
harmless1 you would think it a great    
loss to have them so altered as they are
 by bad management4 ,if ,i had been a   
great traveller1 ,i could tell you more 
wonderful stories2 but having only been 
in ,england1 and ,ireland1 and part of  
,north ,america1 my store of anecdotes  
is not so great4 ,however1 ,i will try  
my best to give you some notion of what 
,i do know2 and as ,i shall often have  
occasion to name ,jack1 ,i will begin by
 telling you who he was4  ,jack was a   
little ,irish boy1 who became deaf while
 he was still a baby2 and because1 as   
you know1 babies learn to talk by       

hearing those around them1 ,jack1 not   
hearing anybody talk1 could not learn1  
and so he grew up dumb4 ,it is a sad    
thing to be deaf and dumb4 ,a person who
 is so1 cannot possibly learn any thing 
about ,god and our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1
 until he has been taught to read2 and  
it is so very difficult to teach them1  
that if some benevolent people1 who have
 money1 did not subscribe to keep up    
charitable schools on purpose for the   
deaf and dumb poor1 ,i do not suppose   
that one in a thousand of them would    
ever learn so much as that they have a  
soul to be saved or lost3 and you may   
judge what a miserable life they must   
lead1 in total ignorance1 nobody        
speaking to them1 and they not able to  
speak to anybody4 ,jack was in this     
state when ,i first saw him1 at eleven  
years old2 he was a poor boy1 and ,i    
took him1 and taught him1 and he lived  
with me above seven years1 till he died 
of a consumption4 ,he died very happy   
indeed1 full of love to ,god for his    

great mercy in sending his ,son into the
 world to save sinners3 and depending on
 the ,lord ,jesus for salvation4 ,he was
 always with me1 speaking by means of   
his fingers1 but in an odd1 that is1 an 
imperfect sort of language1 that would  
make you smile4 ,so when ,i mention     
,jack1 you will know who ,i mean2 and we
 will now have some talk about the      
domestic animals4  ,when ,i say         
domestic1 ,i mean such as we are used to
 see in our houses1 streets1 and fields4
 ,lions1 tigers1 elephants1 and such as 
are shut up in caravans1 or only taken  
about for a show1 do not belong to      
these2 though ,i am not sure that ,i    
shall not have a word or two to say     
about bears and monkeys4 ,i want to     
amuse you1 my young friends1 and to make
 you think a little too2 for all the    
good things given us of ,god become more
 valuable to us when we think about them
 in a right way4 ,jack knew this3 he    
used to rub his forehead with his       
fingers' ends1 shake his head wisely1   

and spell1 ,very good think4 ,i hope you
 will judge the same2 and when you have 
come to the end of my little book1 be   
able to say you have had a very good    
think too4  ,illustration               
,illustration  ,,chapter ,,ii4  ,,the   
,,horse4   ,the great mistake that      
people seem to me to make about animals 
is this3 they fancy that they must be   
frightened into obedience1 and kept from
 disobeying their masters by being made 
afraid of punishment4 ,i dare say that  
animals1 like human beings1 often need  
correction2 but two things are necessary
 to make such correction useful4 ,one   
is1 not to punish them too severely1    
which only hardens them in rebellion2   
the other is1 never to hurt them at all 
except for a real fault--something that 
they know to be a fault1 and know that  
they will be punished for doing4        
,otherwise1 the poor beast1 not knowing 
when or why it may be beaten1 gets      
confused and foolish1 and does wrong1 as
 any boy might do1 from being in a great

 fright4 ,the truth is1 that the animals
 are very sensible1 and very willing to 
do their best4 ,they are fond of being  
praised and rewarded2 they become very  
much attached to those who treat them   
kindly2 and when they are so attached1  
they are very happy1 and show off all   
the fine qualities that make them both  
valuable and entertaining4 ,i am going  
to tell you some stories about my own   
favourites2 and1 to prevent your        
thinking that they were different from  
others of the same kind1 ,i shall begin 
by letting you into the secret of making
 them so knowing4  ,first1 ,i tried to  
find out their habits2 and ,i will tell 
you what they are4 ,all very young      
animals like to sleep a good deal1 and  
to be let alone4 ,it both frightens and 
hurts them to be pulled about1 and makes
 them fretful and ill-tempered2 spoils  
their growth1 and prevents their loving 
you4 ,a puppy or a kitten is very fond  
of play1 and will jump and bounce about 
with you for a long while2 but the      

moment they begin to get tired1 they    
should be left alone1 to rest as much as
 they like4 ,you may suppose1 that if1  
when you are comfortably going to sleep 
at night1 a rough-handed man were to    
come and shake you1 and bawl out in your
 ears1 and wake you continually1 you    
would soon become fretful and ill too1  
and feverish1 and be very glad to get   
out of the way of such a tormentor4 ,so 
my rule is1 when creatures are young1 to
 let them have as much sleep as they    
will4 ,it may sometimes prevent their   
being playthings when you want them2 but
 it will be made up in their health1 and
 good-temper1 and gratitude to you4     
,next1 all creatures like liberty3 a    
horse or a dog is never so happy as when
 bounding across the fields in perfect  
freedom4 ,why does chaining or tying up 
a dog make him savage8 ,because he then 
looks on mankind as his enemies1 and    
fancies that everybody he meets is going
 to take away his liberty4 ,my dogs have
 known as little about chains as        

possible3 two of them had been used to  
be tied up before ,i had them1 and ,i   
never could break them of being savage4 
,as to beating it out of them1 it would 
be like putting on coals to keep a fire 
from burning4 ,that1 you know1 makes the
 fire look dull for a little while2 but 
the moment you stir it1 up it blazes1   
much higher and brighter than if no     
coals had been put on4 ,i knew a horse  
that was not naturally good-tempered1   
and bad usage had made him much worse3  
he was then bought by a gentleman1 who  
gave him enough of the whip1 and spur1  
and sharp iron bit to cure him1 if that 
could have done it2 but it only made him
 cunning and revengeful4 ,poor beast6 a 
little patient kindness would have gone 
much farther4 ,i will tell you an       
instance of this4  ,once ,i had a mare1 
and such a beautiful creature she was6  
,she lived on a sort of farm1 where they
 had not put her to work1 and where the 
children had been used to play with her4
 ,she was hardly full grown4 ,i lived   

then in a house with very low windows1  
and the pretty mare was grazing on the  
outside4 ,one warm day1 the windows were
 all open1 and ,i was sitting at work1  
when she popped her beautiful head and  
neck in at the one nearest to me4 ,i    
gave her a bit of bread that was lying  
by me1 and told her to go away2 but she 
would not4 ,i said to myself1 ,why      
should ,i drive her away8 ,god made the 
animals to be loving and confiding      
towards man2 and if this lonely creature
 wants me to be a friend to her1 why    
should ,i not8 ,the ,bible says1 ',a    
righteous man regardeth the life of his 
beast2' and what is life to a poor      
animal that has no hereafter to look to1
 if its life be without comforts8 ,so ,i
 put down my work1 and went and rubbed  
her forehead1 stroked her long white    
face1 patted her shining neck1 and      
talked to her4 ,after this when ,i was  
alone at my morning work1 she was sure  
to put her head in at one of the        
windows1 to ask1 in her dumb way1 to be 

petted2 and many an apple1 many a       
handful of oats1 did she get by coming  
there4 ,she would soon listen for my    
footstep about the house1 and ,i seldom 
could look out from any window without  
seeing her under it1 or before it4 ,she 
would also follow me like a dog when ,i 
walked in the grounds where she grazed4 
,illustration  ,one day1 a gentleman's  
groom undertook to ride her2 but he     
began by whipping and by jerking the    
bridle1 which is a very cruel thing4 ,my
 mare did not like this2 and as he went 
on doing it1 she lost her patience2 and 
after a long trial as to who should be  
master1 she threw him over her head1 and
 trotted home to her stable4 ,he was not
 hurt1 but very much mortified1 being a 
soldier1 and a great horseman2 and he   
told his master that she was the most   
vicious beast in the world1 not safe for
 anybody to ride4 ,i did not like my    
pretty mare to get such a bad name3 so  
,i told my own groom to put on the side 
saddle1 and ,i asked the gentleman to   

mount his fine ,english horse1 and to   
ride out1 and see if she were not easily
 managed4 ,we had a long ride over      
mountains1 and through little streams1  
and crossing deep torrents by the       
unsteady bridges made of trunks of      
trees1 and he said he never saw an      
animal so full of spirit and good-temper
 as my mare4 ,i never touched her with  
the whip1 but spoke gently to her2 and  
,i can truly say1 that for the year and 
a half of my riding her every day1 she  
never brought me into danger1 nor ever  
disobeyed me4 ,you may say1 ,but this   
was a particular sort of horse1 not like
 others4 ,i have only to answer you1    
that the bad1 vicious horse ,i spoke of 
before1 was bred in the same place1     
lived in the same stable1 and the only  
difference between them was the         
different usage that they had received4 
,the horse is one of the most sensible  
and most affectionate of creatures4 ,you
 see1 every day1 how they will obey the 
man who drives them1 going on1 stopping1

 moving to the right or left1 and       
turning any corner1 all without the     
driver going near them4 ,they have      
learned the meaning of his words1 or    
they could not do this2 and is it not   
dreadful that a creature able to        
understand1 and most willing to obey the
 voice1 should be beaten and tortured as
 horses are8 ,why does a horse go as    
fast as he can when he is cruelly       
whipped1 and his poor mouth wounded by  
the hard bit8 ,because he is trying to  
get away from the man or boy who treats 
him so4 ,ah1 when ,god brought his      
beautiful creatures to the first man1 to
 be named1 and gave them into his care1 
there was no appearance of man ever     
becoming so cruel1 or the animals so    
miserable as they now are6 ,yet the     
,lord loves mercy and judgment1 and     
hates tyranny and wrong1 as much now as 
he did then3 and we may be quite certain
 of this1 that every cruelty committed  
is an offence in his sight1 and will be 
terribly punished1 if it be not repented

 of1 and left off2 for when a person    
says he repents1 and goes on doing the  
same thing as before1 he is deceiving   
himself and provoking ,god4  ,the horse 
must bear a great deal of dreadful pain 
and suffering to be made fit for the use
 man puts him to1 in drawing carriages1 
and other things4 ,it is not natural to 
him to have even a bridle and saddle on 
him2 much less to be loaded with        
harness1 to wear blinders on his eyes1  
and to drag a great heavy weight as fast
 as he can run1 keeping always attentive
 to the least touch of the reins1 and   
turning accordingly1 to prevent running 
his carriage against others4 ,his fine  
spirit must be broken1 his liberty quite
 taken away1 and many a bitter smart    
must the poor1 dumb1 harmless1 helpless 
creature suffer4 ,but surely this ought 
to be enough2 and you would not be the  
cruel wretch to add to his pains8       
,sometimes people must go fast2 but one 
who would distress and torment a horse  
to make him go fast1 just because it    

pleases the driver to be moving quickly1
 is doing a very wrong thing2 and so is 
the person who could neglect to give    
food and drink to a horse when he wants 
it4 ,i wonder when ,i see the poor doing
 this4 ,they know what it is to be      
overworked1 and to want as much as they 
could eat2 they are often cold1 and     
cannot get fuel enough3 and if they were
 tied up1 and not able to run about1 or 
to help themselves1 having no servants  
to wait on them1 how very badly off they
 would think themselves6 ,yet a poor    
horse is much worse off2 he can neither 
do any thing for himself1 nor express   
his wants to others3 he does his best1  
serves us faithfully1 obeys all that he 
understands2 and then to be ill-used1   
neglected1 starved6 ,it is a thing that 
,i cannot bear to think of2 and ,i hope 
my readers will always set their faces  
against such wickedness4 ,remember that 
promise which the ,lord has given1      
,blessed are the merciful1 for they     
shall obtain mercy4  ,i dare say you    

have heard of the ,arabs--a wild people1
 the descendants of ,ishmael1 the son of
 ,abraham1 who possess a great deal of  
country in the east2 and are powerful1  
and much feared1 because nobody has been
 able to conquer them4 ,their greatest  
strength consists in having the boldest1
 fleetest1 most docile horses in the    
whole world4 ,arabian horses may be     
known in a moment by their uncommon     
beauty1 their delicate arched necks1    
waving manes1 and long tails2 but though
 a great price is given for them1 and   
they are lodged1 and fed1 and tended    
with all the care possible1 they cannot 
be so happy in a king's palace1 as in   
the tent or hut of their poor masters at
 home4 ,the ,arab treats his horse like 
a child2 gives it to eat of his own     
victuals1 to drink of his own bowl of   
milk1 and lets it sleep in the midst of 
his family4 ,of course1 the animal      
becomes so fond of him1 that it serves  
him for love1 carries him through all   
dangers1 and has often been known to    

defend him with its life4 ,we cannot    
bring up our horses in this way1 nor    
treat them as the wild ,arab does2 but  
knowing what sense1 and feeling1 and    
gratitude1 and love1 this noble creature
 can and does show1 we ought to be      
always watching to avoid giving it      
unnecessary pain1 and to persuade others
 to be equally kind4  ,i cannot tell you
 how it used to grieve my dumb boy1     
,jack1 when he saw a horse ill-used2 or 
how very kind he was to one that he had 
the care of4 ,he would sooner have      
wanted food and drink himself1 than have
 allowed his master's horse to feel     
hunger or thirst4 ,he was very tender   
when rubbing it down1 if there was any1 
sore place2 and if the animal got cross 
or impatient1 he would say to me in     
signs1 ,poor horse not know3 horse      
tired3 soon go sleep1 poor horse6 ,that 
was a very strong1 spirited animal1 and 
needed a steady hand to rein him in2 but
 ,i often saw the dumb boy jump on his  
back1 and with only the halter over his 

head1 guide him where he chose4 ,i never
 saw him give that horse a blow or a    
kick1 in all the two years that he      
tended him4 ,jack was fourteen when he  
began1 and sixteen when he left off     
being his groom4 ,he was strong and     
healthy then2 but at nineteen he died2  
and he told me that it made him very    
happy to think that he had never been   
cruel to any of ,god's poor creatures4  
,but ,i must not say any more now about 
the noble horse4 ,there is another      
animal1 the natural companion of man1   
the dog1 which comes next in value2 for 
though it cannot take us on a long      
journey1 or convey our goods from place 
to place1 it stands sentry over us and  
our property1 being not only a good     
servant1 but a most intelligent1 fond1  
and faithful friend4 ,it does not need  
to be broke in1 like the horse2 it      
learns the ways and the wishes of those 
around it2 and the more liberty you give
 it1 the more eager it is to serve and  
please you4 ,the dog deserves a chapter 

to himself1 and shall have it4          
,illustration  ,,chapter ,,iii4  ,,the  
,,dog4   ,there is a great deal of      
sorrow in the world3 perhaps1 through   
the goodness of ,god1 you have been kept
 from suffering much yourselves1 but you
 must have seen trouble among your      
friends and neighbours2 sickness and    
death1 perhaps4 ,and it often happens   
that great distress comes on people1 so 
as to keep them hungry and cold1 for    
want of what would buy enough food and  
fuel4 ,besides this1 how often the bad  
conduct of one in a family will make the
 rest unhappy6 ,a single drunkard1 or   
thief1 or violent person1 will bring    
shame and misery on all the rest4 ,the  
world is full of troubles2 but ,i do not
 think that we often find1 even among   
those of our own nature1 men1 women1    
boys1 and girls1 not related to us1 a   
person with so little selfishness as to 
be always sorry and sad when we are so1 
and because we are so4 ,when we meet    
with any one so kind-hearted1 we love   

that person1 and would do a great deal  
to serve or oblige such a feeling       
friend4  ,now1 ,i always observed that a
 dog1 when kindly treated and taken care
 of1 will show his concern for the      
troubles of his master or mistress1 in a
 wonderful way4 ,indeed1 ,i never1 in my
 life1 had a dog that would not do so2  
and seeing this has convinced me that it
 is worse than cruel to treat a dog     
ill--it is most ungrateful4 ,it does    
sometimes happen that a dog has a bad   
and violent temper1 even from a puppy2  
and if very careful treatment does not  
soon cure this1 ,i should say that such 
a dog ought to be destroyed1 by a quick 
and easy death2 not making the poor     
brute suffer for what it cannot help4   
,but in ninety-nine cases out of a      
hundred1 a dog's savageness is the fault
 of those who have brought him up3 and  
few things are more wicked than to teach
 or encourage a dog to fight his own    
race1 or to bark and fly at human       
beings4 ,when the world was as ,god made

 it1 there was no hatred in it1 no      
quarrelling1 no wish in any living      
creature to frighten or hurt any other  
living creatures2 but when ,adam became 
a sinner1 his sin broke through all this
 beautiful order1 and peace1 and love1  
and set the animals against each other1 
and against himself4 ,i am trying always
 to remember this2 for when they alarm  
or distress me1 and ,i am thinking to   
punish them1 ,i ought not to forget what
 first made the brutes vicious1 and     
brought so much suffering on them4 ,it  
was man's sin alone3 man should         
therefore do the best he can to make    
them amends2 and not increase their     
misery1 as he often does1 by cruel      
severity4 ,i think you will agree with  
me in this4 ,besides1 it is a certain   
truth1 that ,god's eye is upon us and on
 the animals about us1 as much as it was
 on ,adam and the living creatures that 
came to him to be named2 and though we  
and they are much changed for the worse1
 yet the ,lord ,god never does or can   

change4 ,he is as righteous1 as holy1 as
 merciful1 and as just to-day1 as he was
 then4 ,how often has ,jack1 when he saw
 a thoughtless boy hurting a dog1 or any
 other animal1 gone up to him1 and said1
 on his fingers1 in a very quiet1       
gentle1 but earnest manner1 ,god        
see--,god angry4 ,he felt much for the  
dumb beast1 suffering pain2 but more for
 the boy who was forgetting that the    
,lord's hand would yet punish him1 when 
he least expected it3 for ,jack very    
well knew that the ,bible says1 ,he     
shall have judgment without mercy that  
hath showed no mercy4  ,dogs have been a
 great amusement to me ever since ,i was
 a baby2 and ,i never have been without 
one in the house when ,i could keep one4
 ,ladies and gentlemen are not often    
willing to let their carpets be soiled  
by dogs2 but the poor people1 who are   
not troubled with carpets1 make         
companions of them4 ,i am writing this  
book in a room with a carpet and good   
furniture1 but ,i have my two dogs with 

me4 ,there is little ,fiddy1 the small  
spaniel1 at my feet1 where he has lain  
every day for eight years2 and there is 
,bronti1 the fine big ,newfoundlander1  
lying1 where do you think8 ,why the     
rogue has got upon the sofa1 and when ,i
 shake my head at him1 he wags his long 
tail1 and turns up his large bright eyes
 to my face1 as much as to say1 ,pray   
let me stop here2 it is so comfortable4 
,but no1 ,bronti1 you must walk down1 my
 fine fellow1 or some lady coming to see
 me may have her gown soiled1 which     
would not be fair4 ,we have no right to 
make our pets a plague to other people1 
and1 perhaps1 a means of injuring them  
too4  ,that was enough for ,bronti2 no  
need of a loud1 cross1 or threatening   
voice4 ,he saw that ,i wished him to    
leave the sofa1 and he wags his tail as 
contentedly on the carpet4 ,i can manage
 him with a word1 almost with a look1   
because he was born in the house1 and   
has never been away from me2 but master 
,fiddy was a year or two old when ,i had

 him1 and some things he will do in     
spite of me4 ,he will hunt a cat1 kill a
 bird1 and growl most furiously over a  
bone4 ,bronti has the same nature1 but  
his love for us overcomes it all4 ,he   
would live peaceably with a cat1 it we  
had one2 he will let the chickens and   
pigeons perch upon him1 or walk between 
his feet2 and last year ,i had half a   
dozen tame mice1 which ,i used to let   
out upon him1 when they would nestle in 
his warm coat1 run races over and under 
him1 and he would not move a limb1 for  
fear of hurting one4 ,as to a bone1 he  
will allow me to take it out of his     
mouth at any time2 and1 what is more1 he
 will readily give it up to ,fiddy1     
whose little teeth can only nibble off  
the meat2 and when he has done that1    
,bronti takes it1 and munches the bone4 
,his mother was full grown when ,i had  
her1 and she was very fierce3 if any    
workman came to the house1 unless her   
master or ,i was by to restrain her1 she
 would put him in fear of his life2 and 

would have bitten him too1 if she could 
have seized him4 ,we gave her away to a 
friend who would be kind to her1 and    
keep her out of mischief2 and we brought
 up a puppy for ourselves1 this same    
,bronti4 ,now he is more than three     
years old2 and though he will sometimes 
fight a big dog who affronts him in the 
street1 he never frightened anybody who 
came to the house4 ,he watches1 and     
gives one single1 deep1 quiet bark1 to  
let us know that there is a stranger2   
and seeing that we are satisfied1 he    
sits with one ear thrown back1 listening
 and watching4 ,if he meets a workman in
 the house1 he does not even growl2 only
 keeps him in sight1 following him      
about1 but with such a sweet-tempered   
look1 that the greatest coward1 if      
honest1 could not contrive to be afraid 
of him4 ,i might leave a joint of meat  
under his care1 if he were ever so      
hungry2 he would not touch it1 because  
he is truly honest3 and as to his sense1
 you would hardly believe if ,i told you

 how sensible he is4 ,when ,i am putting
 on my boots1 he comes up to me1 and    
looks very eagerly in my face2 if ,i say
 ,yes1 or1 ,bronti shall go1 he is just 
wild with joy1 tearing about1 barking1  
and making no small riot4 ,if ,i say    
,no1 or shake my head sorrowfully and   
say nothing1 he steals away1 lies down1 
and never attempts to follow me3 but he 
gets on a chair1 and ,fiddy on a table1 
to see me go out at the gate2 and then  
they both begin to cry and moan most    
piteously1 so that nobody can comfort   
them4  ,on ,sunday morning1 ,bronti     
looks very melancholy2 how he knows the 
day ,i cannot tell4 ,of course1 we all  
go to church1 but he begins to be sad as
 soon as we get up4 ,neither he1 nor    
,fiddy would attempt to follow us then1 
if the doors and gate were all set open3
 they seat themselves at the window to  
see us go4 ,and now ,i recollect one    
time when ,bronti was as savage as his  
mother4 ,you shall hear about it4  ,one 
,sunday1 when were all at church1 a     

friend1 just landed from a voyage1 came 
to the house4 ,he opened the garden     
gate1 and was walking towards the door1 
when up jumped ,bronti on a chair at    
window1 barking1 growling1 and behaving 
so violently1 that he really dared not  
try to get into a house where such a    
wild beast stood ready to seize him4 ,so
 he went off to the church1 found us1   
and after service returned with us2 and 
,bronti1 seeing him as a friend of the  
family1 gave him an affectionate        
welcome4 ,then he told us of his        
ferocious behaviour2 and we were very   
glad to find that our gentle dog knew   
how to protect our house and property   
when it was left entirely to his care4  
,a book larger than this might be       
filled1 all through1 with stories about 
the dog1 besides what are already       
published2 but any one of you may see   
enough to delight you every day in the  
affectionate creature1 it you will only 
be patient and kind4 ,it is too often   
the custom to punish a dog when he does 

not do just what you like2 and you may  
like things quite different at different
 times4 ,now1 the poor brute cannot tell
 exactly what you wish2 and if he is    
used to get a blow1 or an angry         
scolding1 he will be so afraid of doing 
wrong1 that what little sense he has    
left will fail him1 and he will be so   
confused as to make him do wrong4 ,an   
animal1 or a boy either1 living in      
constant fear of ill-usage whether he   
deserves it or not1 will get either so  
stupid or so careless1 as seldom to do  
what is required4 ,think a little1 and  
you will understand this4 ,an angry tone
 and hard words agitate a dog very much4
 ,mr4 ,blaine1 who wrote a book about   
their diseases and cures1 says that he  
has often known a dog1 weakened by      
illness1 to go into convulsions on      
hearing another dog violently scolded4  
,i tell you this to explain why some    
dogs are hard to manage3 they are       
frightened out of their senses2 to say  
nothing of the cruel pain that they are 

often made to suffer4 ,i have seen a    
person beat a dog one day for not       
following him when he wished it1 and the
 next day for following when he was not 
wanted4 ,i have seen a dog set at       
another to fight1 being encouraged1 and 
irritated1 and made savage on purpose2  
and soon after beaten for flying at some
 person1 or thing that he was not wanted
 to attack4 ,no wonder if the poor      
creature loses all his fine qualities   
under such treatment4  ,all that he     
wishes is to be allowed to love you1 and
 follow you1 and serve you4 ,he wants   
the help of your reason to keep him from
 doing wrong2 and he wants you to       
explain to him how he may please you4   
,it has made my heart ache1 many a time1
 to see a poor dog obey his master's    
call1 coming up to him in a crouching1  
crawling way1 trembling with fear1 and  
seeming to say1 ,pray1 pray do not hurt 
me6 ,i am ready to do what you wish1 and
 to lay down my life for you2 but you   
are going to beat or to kick me1 and ,i 

am a poor creature1 without any one to  
take my part4 ,i could bite you1 ,i     
could seize you by the throat1 or tear  
the flesh off your leg1 but ,i will not 
do so4 ,i come because you call me2 pray
 do not hurt me6 ,and ,i have seen the  
meek1 obedient creature struck1 and put 
to cruel pain1 without the smallest     
reason in the world4 ,and when ,i       
recollected the words of the ,bible1    
,verily there is a ,god that judgeth in 
the earth1 ,i have grieved the more to  
think what punishment that cruel man or 
boy was bringing on himself4  ,if we    
call one of our dogs1 even when at high 
play in the fields1 he instantly comes  
bounding up1 puts his head on one side1 
pricks up his ears1 and looks full in   
our faces as if saying1 ,well1 here ,i  
am2 what do you want me to do8 ,a       
beating is the last thing that they     
would think of4 ,i am not now speaking  
of ,bronti and ,fiddy in particular1 but
 all the dogs that ever ,i had4 ,the    
reason is1 that the dog is the very     

fondest creature that breathes2 and any 
but a really ill-tempered dog may be    
managed by means of this fondness2      
while1 as ,i before remarked1 a really  
bad-tempered one should not be kept to  
be punished1 but speedily destroyed4    
,you know what a terrible thing the bite
 of a mad dog is4 ,the wound may be so  
small as hardly to leave a scar1 and it 
may heal1 and be forgotten1 perhaps for 
weeks and months2 still1 the deadly     
poison is in the person's blood1 and    
when it breaks out1 a most fearful death
 follows1 after such sufferings as      
nobody1 who has not seen them1 can have 
an idea of4 ,but1 perhaps1 you do not   
know that the angry bite of a dog1 when 
teased or hurt1 has often produced the  
same awful madness4 ,i remember a       
neighbour's son dying most horribly of  
it1 who had only had his finger wounded1
 as if by a pin's point1 by the tooth of
 a little dog which he was teasing and  
provoking in play4 ,this shows us how   
very dangerous it is to irritate an     

animal2 for you never know what peril   
you may run into4 ,these things do not  
fall out by chance4 ,the ,lord ,god     
orders them all2 and sometimes he does  
very terrible things1 in judgment on    
those who knowingly transgress1 and for 
an example to others4 ,may you1 dear    
young readers1 be loving1 and merciful1 
and kind2 and never stand for a moment  
in the hateful character of oppressors1 
where it is alike your duty and your    
happiness to help the defenceless and to
 protect the weak6     ,illustration    
,,chapter ,,iv4  ,,the ,,cat--,,the     
,,cow--,,the ,,sheep--,,the ,,ass4      
,poor ,puss6 ,i have not so much to say 
for her as for the noble dog4 ,the cat  
is more selfish1 and not so trustful2   
neither does she often show so much     
affection for us4 ,the cat's habits are 
more like those of a wild animal1 than  
are the habits of any other of our      
domestic creatures4 ,it is hardly       
possible to keep her from straying      
about1 or to teach her to do no         

mischief4 ,i have had a cat that would  
not steal1 and a dog that would3 both   
proving that every rule has an          
exception4 ,i often think1 when ,i see  
,puss watching for mice and birds1 and  
choosing them rather than meat1 what a  
wonderful thing it is that ,god should  
have taught a beast of prey to attach   
itself to man1 so far as to rid him of  
other creatures which1 by increasing too
 fast1 would eat up what he wants to    
live upon4 ,at the same time1 ,i grieve 
to remember that this war between us and
 the smaller animals1 and between them  
and each other1 comes from our rebellion
 against ,god2 and ,i dare not set one  
creature to destroy another1 any farther
 than is necessary for my own safety1   
and the support of my family4  ,still   
the cat is an interesting animal1       
beautiful1 cleanly1 graceful1 and often 
very loving4 ,a kitten is even more     
engaging than a puppy4 ,its fun and     
frolic are more diverting because of its
 light1 active movements4 ,a grave old  

cat1 sitting in the sunshine1 with her  
eyes half shut1 and a merry little      
kitten1 playing with her tail1 bounding 
over her back1 and comically boxing her 
ears1 is a sight that ,i cannot help    
stopping to admire4 ,but how much to be 
pitied is a kitten in the hands of      
children too young to know1 or too cruel
 to care what pain they may put it to6  
,as to setting dogs to hunt and worry   
cats1 or tormenting them on purpose1 as 
some will1 ,i do not wish to think that 
anybody who can read the ,bible1 or hear
 it read1 is capable of such wickedness2
 nor should ,i like to believe that     
anybody born in this free country1 among
 a brave people1 could be so mean a     
coward4 ,a boy may fancy himself very   
courageous1 if he is able and willing to
 fight anybody who doubts his being so2 
but if he is capable of wantonly hurting
 one of ,god's creatures1 when he gets  
it into his power1 he is a real coward4 
,he alone is truly brave who fears none 
because he would injure none1 but would 

use all the strength and all the        
influence that he has1 to protect the   
weak from those who are too powerful for
 them4  ,i have seen wild cats abroad3  
most terrible-looking they are1 and more
 dangerous than many larger animals4    
,nobody would offer to play any         
unfeeling tricks with them2 a single    
look from their fierce1 fiery eyes1     
glaring from the branches of a tree1    
round which they twist their long tails1
 would send the boldest of you          
scampering away4 ,they grow larger1 and 
their fur becomes much richer1 when in a
 wild state4 ,the good providence of    
,god supplies them with very warm1 thick
 coat1 when they have no longer the     
benefit of a corner by the fireside4 ,oh
 that we would learn lessons of tender  
mercy by seeing how compassionately the 
,lord cares for the meanest creature    
that he has made6  ,but about young     
kittens3 there are two things1 often    
done through thoughtlessness1 which are 
both very cruel indeed4 ,one is to kill 

all her little ones1 which not only     
causes great distress1 but severe pain  
too1 to the poor mother4 ,god gives her 
milk to nourish the little creatures1   
and if one is not left to draw it off1  
the animal suffers much torment and     
fever from it4 ,the other thing is one  
that no kindhearted person could do1 or 
allow to be done1 after being once told 
how exceedingly inhuman it is3 ,i mean1 
putting the young ones to death in the  
mother's sight4 ,the agonies of a bitch1
 when she sees her puppies drowned1 are 
really a call for divine vengeance on   
the wretch who could purposely be guilty
 of such an outrage on the tenderest    
feelings of nature4 ,the cat1 though    
inferior to the dog in many points1 is a
 most loving mother1 and very sagacious 
in protecting her young4 ,she will often
 hide them so cunningly1 that nobody can
 reach them2 and ,i have seen a family  
astonished by the return of a cat which 
they had supposed was lost1 with four or
 five wild-looking1 lean kittens behind 

her1 all their faces being well         
scratched by the sticks or other rubbish
 among which they were hidden4 ,the dog 
never does so3 its confiding character  
leads it to commit its young to its     
master's care1 little as he sometimes   
deserves such a trust4  ,illustration   
,have you a cow8 ,people who live in    
cities very seldom indeed have one2 but 
in the country1 many1 who are not rich1 
contrive to keep one2 and a more gentle1
 quiet1 patient animal is not to be     
found4 ,jack's mother was a poor        
,irishwoman1 but she had two cows1 and  
sold their milk to support her family4  
,i have often met her1 stepping so      
stately and steadily1 because she had a 
brim-full pail of milk balanced on her  
head1 and never even put up her hand to 
support it4 ,jack was very fond of his  
mother2 and next after his parents1     
brother1 and sisters1 he certainly loved
 the cows4 ,it was his business1 when   
quite a little fellow1 to serve up to   
them the pail of hot potatoes in winter2

 and many a walk he took to the green   
fields where they pastured in summer1 to
 see that all was safe and right about  
them4 ,three years after his leaving    
home1 we also kept a cow2 and ,jack     
insisted on having the care of it1 and  
milking it himself4 ,it was quite a     
lesson to see how kind and thoughtful   
the dumb boy was about the poor cow3 and
 what a happy life she led under his    
management might be easily known by her 
being always good-tempered and fearless4
 ,often1 when standing on the lawn1     
feeding my chickens1 ,i have been       
surprised by finding her gently rubbing 
her horns against my shoulder1 and      
asking to be petted1 as every animal    
will ask when encouraged4 ,she gave a   
great deal more milk than any one       
expected--for kind usage is a wonderful 
help in making any creature thrive2 and 
,i never shall forget the joyful looks  
of ,jack1 when1 one morning1 he came    
jumping and skipping to me1 spelling as 
fast as he could1 ,cow baby--cow baby4  

,he did not know the right name for a   
calf1 and our cow had a very pretty one1
 born in the night4  ,then ,jack's sweet
 disposition showed itself farther in   
the care that he took not to distress   
the poor creatures more than was        
necessary4 ,he did not ill-use the cow  
for being unwilling to leave her young  
one1 and very eager to return to it     
again2 nor did he frighten or hurt the  
tender little calf for crying and       
struggling to get to its mother4 ,in all
 these things there is opportunity for  
being merciful and kind3 and because    
,satan knows that the ,lord hates       
cruelty1 and will punish those who      
afflict his helpless creatures1 there he
 chooses these occasions to tempt people
 into the wanton wickedness of offending
 the ,most ,high by the abuse of such   
power as he has intrusted them with4    
,jack knew it4 ,i have seen the colour  
rise to his face1 with the effort that  
he made to overcome the impatience that 
was provoked by the eagerness of the    

animals to break through the fence which
 separated them2 but he did overcome it1
 and said with a smile1 ,poor baby cow6 
,jack not hurt--no2 ,god see6 ,ah1 it is
 a happy and a blessed thing to be able 
to rejoice that ,god sees us6 ,less than
 three years after that1 ,jack was      
called to appear before the ,lord2 and  
,i am sure the recollection of having   
purposely given pain to others never    
disturbed the quietness of his          
death-bed4 ,he felt the blessedness of  
having been merciful4 ,for my own part1 
,i never can see a man or boy driving   
cattle with sticks and goads2 torturing 
the poor creatures for being tired1 and 
lame1 and thirsty1 and faint2 and       
cruelly punishing them for wishing to   
rest1 or do drink1 or to crop the green 
grass2 or for being confused and        
frightened in the noisy1 crowded streets
 of a city1 after the quiet country     
places that they were reared in2 ,i say1
 ,i never see such things without a     
feeling of horror and dread3 for the    

,lord ,god will surely call to a        
terrible account those who act as if    
there were no just1 holy1 and merciful  
,creator1 to hear the cry of his        
tormented creatures1 and to prove before
 men and angels that they did not cry to
 him in vain4  ,illustration  ,the next 
animal that ,i shall talk to you about  
is the ,,sheep4 ,people call them silly 
sheep1 because they are so easily       
frightened1 and show very little sense  
of judgment when running away4 ,this is 
owing to their being driven about4 ,we  
seem to think it right to make every    
creature afraid of us1 and by that means
 we weaken their faculties2 or1 to speak
 in common words1 we frighten them out  
of their wits4 ,in eastern countries it 
is quite different4 ,there the flocks   
are not driven1 but led4 ,you will      
remember that beautiful description in  
the tenth chapter of ,john1 where our   
blessed ,lord ,jesus ,christ compares   
himself to a shepherd1 and his people to
 sheep4 ,it is now above eighteen       

hundred years since ,he spoke those     
words2 but travellers tell us that it is
 exactly the same at this day4 ,speaking
 of the shepherd1 our ,lord says1 ,the  
sheep hear his voice3 and he calleth his
 own sheep by name1 and leadeth them    
out4 ,and when he putteth forth his own 
sheep1 he goeth before them1 and the    
sheep follow him3 for they know his     
voice4 ,and a stranger will they not    
follow1 but will flee from him3 for they
 know not the voice of strangers4 ,only 
fancy what a different sight it must be 
from what we often witness6 ,instead of 
a poor1 frightened1 agitated crowd of   
panting creatures1 running here and     
there1 with perhaps a man or boy        
shouting after them1 outspreading his   
arms to increase their terror1 and a    
rough dog jumping and barking among     
them1 to see a quiet-looking1 happy     
flock walking after their shepherd1     
pressing forward to get near him1 and   
each coming readily when called by its  
name4 ,of course1 not being taught to   

run away from man1 they are not flurried
 and thrown into confusion so easily as 
ours are4 ,but sheep are always timid1  
weak1 defenceless creatures1 and        
therefore the ,lord often speaks of his 
disciples as sheep2 because we are all  
as little able to protest ourselves from
 our enemy1 ,satan1 as a flock of sheep 
is to defend itself from a wolf1 or a   
lion2 and he would have us keep close to
 him for protection as the eastern sheep
 do to their careful shepherd4  ,there  
is nothing to prevent our sheep from    
being as manageable as any others4 ,i   
once had a lamb given to me1 because its
 mother could not nurse it2 and ,i kept 
it in some nice hay in a large basket1  
and fed it with warm milk from the spout
 of a teapot4 ,as it gained strength1 ,i
 let it run about the house1 and it was 
a droll sight to see the big lamb come  
bouncing and scampering into a room full
 of company1 hunting the cat about1     
leaping over chairs1 and playing just   
like a frolicsome kitten4 ,if ,i walked 

out1 it would1 like the eastern sheep1  
follow me4 ,i have taken it for miles   
along the public road1 and never saw it 
appear frightened4 ,it was stolen and   
killed before it became quite a sheep2  
but ,i have no doubt it would have      
continued as tame1 and as bold1 and as  
happy4 ,if you look into the faces of a 
flock of sheep1 you will see a great    
variety of countenances among them1 and 
some are very intelligent4 ,there is a  
field near me1 where ,i often go to     
walk2 and a number of young sheep in it 
have taken such a fancy to ,bronti1 that
 when he stands still they will come    
almost close to him1 the ram foremost1  
as if wishing to play with him2 but if  
he goes towards them1 off they trot1    
poor things1 to the other end of the    
field4  ,not long ago1 ,i saw something 
that made me quite unhappy2 and indeed  
it was one reason for my writing this   
little book4 ,a boy was driving a few   
sheep1 and he got them into a corner1 on
 some very high ground1 from which they 

could not possibly get away without     
jumping down where they must have broken
 their necks1 or limbs4 ,then this bad  
boy called another1 and they both took  
up large stones that were lying about   
the road1 and threw them at the innocent
 sheep--or rather lambs1 for they were  
not full grown4 ,i saw them hit on their
 heads and eyes1 and nearly mad with    
pain and terror4 ,i never saw a more    
cruel thing3 ,i thought ,bronti would   
have seized the boys1 he was so angry4  
,i could not help thinking how awful    
would be the state of those boys1 if    
they were cut off by death in such      
wickedness4 ,alas6 the agonies of one   
hour hereafter1 would be worse than all 
the tortures that could be inflicted on 
,god's creatures during their whole     
lives4 ,but instead of an hour1 it is   
for ever and ever that all who go to    
that dreadful place of punishment must  
remain4 ,it made me very miserable to   
see the poor lambs so cruelly hurt1 and 
to think what judgment those boys were  

bringing on themselves4 ,i ran for      
,bronti's master1 and we met the        
bruised1 bleeding little innocents      
limping along1 and the inhuman boy1     
tired of his savage sport1 following    
them4 ,we stopped him1 and that         
gentleman spoke very plainly to him of  
his sin1 and ,god's anger4 ,the boy     
looked alarmed1 but sulky2 and ,i sadly 
fear he was hardening his young heart   
against the ,lord4 ,let us pray that we 
may be kept from hardness of heart1 and 
made tender to keep a conscience void of
 offence towards ,god and towards man4  
,it was a donkey-boy who had helped the 
other to throw stones at the lambs2 and 
this reminds me that ,i have something  
to say about the ass2 the most despised 
and the worst-used of all animals1 and  
yet the one on which the greatest honour
 has been put1 being chosen for its     
humble1 gentle1 patient character to    
assist in setting forth the wonderful   
humiliation of the ,redeemer1 the ,lord 
,jesus ,christ1 who in the greatness of 

his everlasting majesty and power       
condescended to stoop low for our sakes4
 ,i think you will remember at once what
 ,i mean4 ,in the ninth chapter of the  
book of ,zechariah1 it is written1      
,rejoice greatly1 ,o daughter of ,zion2 
shout1 ,o daughter of ,jerusalem3       
behold1 thy ,king cometh unto thee3 he  
is just1 and having salvation2 lowly1   
and riding upon an ass1 and upon a colt 
the foal of an ass4  ,and you know how  
this was fulfilled4 ,when our ,lord     
,jesus was about to enter1 for the last 
time1 into the holy city of ,jerusalem1 
before his enemies had laid their cruel 
hands on him1 he sent two of the        
disciples1 saying unto them1 ,go into   
the village over against you1 and       
straightway ye shall find an ass tied1  
and a colt with her3 loose them1 and    
bring them unto me4 ,they did so2 and   
this meek and lowly ,saviour1 this ,king
 of heaven and earth1 descended from the
 mount of ,olives1 and rode into        
,jerusalem1 not as the monarchs of this 

world ride1 on a fiery war-horse with   
proud trappings and surrounded by       
gleaming swords and spears4 ,no1 the    
blessed ,jesus chose no such pomp4 ,he  
made choice of the humble1 despised ass2
 her trappings were the outer garments  
of those poor men1 fishermen and such   
like1 who followed him2 and who took    
them off1 to make1 as it were1 a saddle 
and saddle-cloth for their beloved      
,master2 while others1 seeing that no   
more were wanted for that purpose1      
spread theirs on the ground that he     
might ride over them4 ,ah1 the day will 
come when the ,king of kings and ,lord  
of lords shall ride in vengeance over   
the persons of his rebellious enemies1  
as he then rode in meek and lowly state 
over the garments of his loving friends4
 ,and1 as you would avoid his wrath on  
that terrible day1 provoke him not now  
by wanton cruelty to the creatures which
 he has made4 ,he is very1 very merciful
 to them1 and to you4 ,they do you no   
wrong2 do no wrong to them4  ,how often 

have ,i thought of that beautiful scene 
on the green side of the gently sloping 
mount of ,olives1 which rises eastward  
of the city of ,jerusalem1 with the     
brook ,kedron sparkling at its feet6    
,you know the ,bible tells us1          
concerning the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1    
that by ,him ,god made the world2 and   
again1 ,all things were made by him1 and
 without him was not any thing made that
 was made4 ,yet he1 the ,maker of all   
things1 took upon him the nature of man2
 and so you see1 for once1 a poor animal
 enjoyed even greater privilege and     
happiness than when the creatures were  
first brought to ,adam2 and that animal 
was no other than the persecuted ass6   
,the ,lord showed his tenderness in not 
separating the dam from her young one3  
,he commanded both to be brought2 and   
the little creature tripped so happily  
beside its mother1 while both enjoyed   
the sheltering protection of ,him who   
made the worlds6 ,yes1 ,i very often    
think of this1 when ,i see the cruelties

 committed on some overworked animal1 in
 a cart1 or ridden by an unfeeling      
person2 and the mischief1 the wicked    
mischief1 that ,satan finds for idle    
hands to do1 in the field1 or by the    
way-side1 where the poor ass is quietly 
nibbling at such coarse weeds as neither
 horse1 nor cow1 nor sheep would touch4 
,the little foal too1 with its innocent 
face1 and broad forehead covered with   
shaggy hair1 looking as if it longed to 
have a game of play with you4 ,can you  
put it to pain8 ,alas6 it has a life of 
cruel labour and suffering before it3   
and you should not be so inhuman as to  
rob it of its very short time of freedom
 and repose4 ,some boys are cruel on    
purpose4 ,satan leads them captive at   
his will2 and if they continue to do his
 wicked will1 they must expect to be    
with him for ever in the place of fire4 
,but many are cruel from thoughtlessness
 only2 and ,i hope this little book will
 lead such to reflect1 and to cease from
 what is a great sin against ,god1      

whether they think it to be so or not4  
,i have said nothing about the wonderful
 story of an ass which you will find in 
the book of ,numbers1 chapter xxii43 you
 can read it for yourselves4 ,i will    
finish this subject by giving you a text
 from the wise and gracious laws which  
it pleased the ,lord ,god to lay down   
for his people ,israel1 when he was     
himself their own ,king4 ,it is a most  
beautiful precept3 it teaches at once to
 overcome an evil feeling against a     
fellow-man1 and to show mercy to a      
suffering animal4 ,if thou see the ass  
of him that hateth thee lying under his 
burden1 and wouldest forbear to help    
him1 thou shalt surely help with him1   
,ex4 xxiii4 #e2 and in the #abth verse  
we read a reason given for keeping holy 
and quiet the ,sabbath day1 that thine  
ox and thine ass may rest4  ,this is a  
long chapter2 but ,i had a good deal to 
say in it1 and ,i hope you are not      
tired1 and that you will think it over1 
and pray ,god to enable you to profit by

 it4  ,illustration     ,illustration   
,,chapter ,v4  ,,bears1 ,,monkeys1      
,,rats4   ,now1 ,i think1 you are       
laughing at the heading of this chapter1
 and wondering what ,i can have to say  
about such creatures2 but wait a little1
 and you will find ,i am not afraid to  
put in a good word for them4 ,you must  
know that ,i once had a young bear1 a   
mere cub1 which was given to me by one  
of the wild ,indians1 as they are       
called4 ,these ,indians1 by the way1 are
 not half so wild as some boys of my    
acquaintance1 who are a great deal      
better taught2 and they were very fond  
of me--merely because it pleased ,god to
 keep me mindful of a gracious command  
which he has given us4 ,you will find it
 in the first ,epistle of ,peter1 chap4 
ii41 verse #ag3 ,honour all men4 ,man1  
whether he be black1 or white1 or tawny2
 whether he be rich or poor1 bond or    
free2 man was at first made in the image
 of ,god1 and would have kept the image 
if ,adam had not sinned and lost it2 so 

that none of his posterity are now born 
in that holy1 happy state in which ,adam
 was created4 ,but then1 lost as man is1
 and deprived of all honour1 it pleased 
the eternal ,son of ,god to take upon   
,him the name and the nature of man1    
free from all its sinfulness1 though    
deprived of its first glory1 and this he
 did that he might1 by suffering death1 
atone for the sin of the world4 ,so now1
 as there is no person so miserable1 so 
despised1 or even so sinful1 that by    
coming to the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and 
believing in ,him alone1 he may not have
 his sins blotted out1 and himself made 
an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven1  
,i am sure that every man ought to be   
treated with some respect1 as one of    
that race whom ,god created1 and for    
whom ,christ died4 ,indeed1 it would be 
enough for me1 if only the ,bible said1 
,honour all men1 without my being able  
to see why ,i ought to do so4 ,it is my 
duty to obey every one of my ,lord's    
commands3 but it is very pleasant to    

think about his gracious commandments1  
and to see1 as we must then do1 how very
 lovely they are4 ,now you know why ,i  
treated the wild ,indians of the woods  
with gentle1 kind respect2 and they felt
 it1 and loved me greatly1 and used to  
bring me their little gifts4 ,one day1  
two rough ,indian men came to me1 in    
their very strange dresses1 with their  
stiff black hair hanging down1 never    
having been combed in their lives1 ,i   
should think4 ,they each brought a young
 bear into my large kitchen2 and while  
,i told them to sit down and eat        
something1 the two cubs began to examine
 the place for themselves4 ,it was a    
funny sight1 so ,i will tell you about  
it4  ,under a table1 there lay a good   
long barrel on its side1 and two very   
friendly cats had each got some kittens 
in it4 ,they had made themselves little 
beds in the straw1 one near the mouth of
 the barrel1 the other farther in4 ,so  
one young bear1 7they were but a few    
weeks old1 poor little animals67 in the 

course of his travels about the kitchen1
 poked his nose into this barrel1 and   
out flew the old gray cat1 in a great   
rage1 or fright1 ,i hardly know which1  
and began to spit most furiously at the 
cub1 who ran away as fast as he could1  
into a distant corner1 followed by puss4
 ,she did not choose to go too near such
 an odd-looking creature2 but sat       
watching him1 to prevent his leaving    
that corner4  ,meantime1 the other cub1 
thinking1 ,i suppose1 that1 as the cat  
was away1 the bear might play--at least 
with the kittens1 went boldly close to  
the barrel1 when lo6 out sprang the     
tortoise-shell cat from the farther end1
 and this master ,bruin was not slower  
than his brother in scampering away1 the
 cat following him also4 ,no harm was   
done2 none of them had any wish to      
fight1 and the scene was so droll that  
the servants were in fits of laughter2  
while the ,indians1 who ,i must tell you
 are very grave1 and even sad-looking   
people1 and seldom seen to smile1 for   

once laughed heartily too4 ,i took pity 
upon the frightened cub1 at whom the    
gray cat was still growling and         
spitting1 and took him up my arms2 for  
which he seemed so thankful1 that ,i    
continued to stroke his shaggy coat1    
until one of the ,indians1 with a grin1 
offered to give him to me4 ,i accepted  
him1 making a present in return2 and for
 some days ,i took delight in my        
bargain2 for he was a most innocent     
little creature1 and played merrily with
 a puppy dog3 but those who understood  
the nature of a bear better than ,i did1
 persuaded me to give him up2 because   
they had known a young lady who was     
killed by a tame bear in a sudden       
passion4  ,but ,i want to convince you  
how wrong we are in treating any animal 
as if it could not feel attachment to   
us4 ,some soldiers' wives used to pet my
 little cub1 even with tears in their   
eyes2 and they told me the reason4 ,they
 said1 that a short time before1 the    
regiment to which they belonged was     

quartered in ,canada1 and the soldiers  
had a bear1 which they brought up tame4 
,this creature had a strange office--he 
was nurse to all the babies in the      
barrack4 ,so great was his love for     
them1 that whenever the mothers wanted  
to have their infants well taken care   
of1 they would place them under this    
animal's charge1 who was delighted to   
smooth for them the clean soft straw    
that they gave him2 and whose tender    
care over the babes was1 they told me1  
the most beautiful thing ever seen4 ,the
 poor bear was always trying to help and
 oblige his friends2 and on washing days
 he had plenty of babies to mind1 when  
the weather was mild enough to have them
 out of doors2 but one cold day they    
were all left within1 and the bear had  
nothing to do4 ,so1 seeing a woman leave
 her washing-tub1 which she had just    
filled with boiling water1 he thought he
 would do some of her work1 and put his 
paws into it3 the pain made him snatch  
them out1 and in so doing he upset the  

tub--all the scalding water fell over   
him--and his agonies were such that1 in 
mercy1 some soldier shot him dead at    
once4 ,the women1 when they told me     
this1 sobbed with grief1 saying1 ,he was
 so kind to our babies6 he would have   
died in their defence1 poor fellow6 ,i  
assure you1 that when ,i see a poor bear
 led through the streets1 chained1      
beaten1 and made to dance1 as they call 
it1 which it is taught to do by cruel   
tortures1 ,i always remember this story2
 and think1 how much love and gratitude 
might that miserable sufferer feel1 and 
how happy he might be made1 if those who
 have taken him from his native woods1  
and made a slave of him1 would only show
 mercy now instead of such barbarity6   
,we often hear the expression1 ,as      
savage as a bear2 but1 ,i fear1 in      
general1 the man is the greater savage  
of the two4  ,illustration  ,,monkeys   
are diverting creatures2 and if you saw 
their fun and frolic where they have    
liberty among the boughs of a tree1 you 

would not know how to leave off         
laughing4 ,it is a different thing1     
however1 to see them also chained1 and  
beaten1 and with their limbs confined in
 unnatural clothing1 forced by fear1 and
 hunger1 and pain1 to play the antics   
which they would do of their own accord 
if treated differently4 ,i never could  
understand how people can be amused by  
any thing that causes pain to the       
creature doing it4 ,they must either be 
very stupid1 or very hard-hearted4 ,want
 of thought is a great cause of needless
 cruelty1 ,i know2 and ,i am trying to  
put some kind thoughts into your heads1 
which you may be thankful for when you  
are older4 ,i can tell you one thing1   
which is1 that it is impossible for a   
cruel man to be happy3 it is entirely   
,,impossible4 ,he may laugh and shout1  
and sing1 and dance1 and tell you that  
he is very happy2 but it is not so4     
,there is in his heart something always 
whispering1 ,your turn will come4 ,the  
great ,god1 the holy1 just1 merciful    

,god1 whose creatures you now torment1  
sees it all1 knows it all2 and he will  
punish you4 ,every one of us must appear
 before the judgment-seat of ,christ1 to
 give an account of the things done in  
the body2 and you will be forced to own 
all your cruelties1 before angels and   
men3 and then what follows8 ',,he       
,,shall ,,have ,,judgment ,,without     
,,mercy ,,who ,,hath ,,shown ,,no       
,,mercy6' ,a bad man will never confess 
to you that such is his feeling3 for bad
 men always will try to make you as bad 
as themselves3 but now1 mind1 after what
 ,i have told you1 if you have not the  
same terror of ,god's vengeance coming  
over you when you do a cruel thing4 ,if 
not1 it is because you are already      
hardened by ,satan2 but ,i should grieve
 to think it was so with you4 ,oh6      
remember that the blessed ,jesus came to
 destroy the works of the devil2 and    
pray to him now to deliver you from the 
power of that evil one4 ,he will hear1  
and help1 and save4  ,even as to animals

 that we may destroy when they injure   
us1 we should not forget the good they  
also do3 as an instance1 the ,,rat may  
be mentioned4 ,it is1 indeed1 a very    
troublesome and sometimes dangerous     
creature3 it will kill and carry off    
young chickens1 pigeons1 and other      
defenceless things2 besides making sad  
havoc among the grain and eatables of   
every sort4 ,it is often more than a    
match for a grown kitten1 or even a weak
 cat3 and where they are in numbers1    
they have been known to overpower a man4
 ,i confess1 the rat is a very          
disagreeable enemy1 whom we may fairly  
get rid of when we can4 ,but when it is 
necessary to kill them1 we should do it 
mercifully2 do not put them to needless 
pain4 ,why should you8 ,is it manly8 ,is
 it generous8 ,is it what you think ,god
 will approve8 ,will it make you wiser1 
or better1 or happier to feel that you  
are giving pain to a poor creature8     
,illustration     ,illustration         
,,chapter ,,vi4  ,,birds4   ,having now1

 ,i think1 mentioned all the four-footed
 beasts about which ,i had any thing    
particular to say1 ,i will pass on to   
another and still more beautiful portion
 of ,god's handy-work--the birds4 ,the  
account of their creation is thus given3
 ,and ,god said1 ,let the waters bring  
forth abundantly the moving creature    
that hath life1 and fowl that may fly   
above the earth in the open firmament of
 heaven4 ,and ,god created great whales1
 and every living creature that moveth1 
which the waters brought forth          
abundantly1 after their kind1 and every 
winged fowl after his kind3 and ,god saw
 that it was good4 ,and ,god blessed    
them1 saying1 ,be fruitful1 and         
multiply1 and fill the waters in the    
seas1 and let fowl multiply in the      
earth4 ,and the evening and the morning 
were the fifth day4 ,the beasts were not
 made until the sixth day2 so that1 if  
,i had been writing a history of the    
creation1 ,i should have put the birds  
and fishes first4 ,notice these         

expressions1 ,god saw that it was good2 
and ,god blessed them4 ,every thing when
 it came from his glorious hand was very
 good2 and man was the only being who   
became bad by his own fault1 despised   
the blessing1 and brought the curse on  
himself1 with all its sad consequences  
to the whole earth and every creature4  
,god blessed them2 and what right have  
we to make their little lives miserable8
 ,this thought has often come over me   
when ,i have seen any cruel thing done4 
,god said1 that the fowl were to fly    
above the earth1 in the open firmament  
of heaven2 but he has made some fowls   
that are very useful to man1 willing to 
stay upon the earth4 ,if hens and ducks 
were to lay their eggs in high trees1   
and among rocks1 as many birds do1 we   
should get very few of them2 and as they
 lay many more than they can hatch1 it  
would be a great and wasteful loss4 ,by 
this we are sure that poultry was       
intended for our use2 and if you take   
care not to frighten or tease them1 you 

may bring up chickens to be as tame and 
familiar as dogs or cats4 ,i remember a 
droll proof of this4 ,once1 out of a    
great many fowls1 belonging to a dear   
friend in whose house ,i lived1 there   
was only one that would not be friends  
with me4 ,she was a fine old speckled   
black and white hen1 very wild2 and her 
running away from me vexed me2 for ,i   
cannot bear that any one of ,god's      
creatures should think ,i would be so   
cruel as to hurt it4 ,well1 ,i set      
myself to wheedle this hen into being on
 better terms2 taking crumbs to her1 and
 persuading her by degrees to feed from 
my hand1 like the rest4 ,this was very  
good3 but it did not stop here4 ,whether
 ,mrs4 ,hen was flattered by so much    
attention1 or whether she was desirous  
of making up for her former rudeness1 or
 how it was1 ,i don't know2 but she     
became so unreasonably fond of me1 that 
if a door or window were opened she     
would pop in to look for her friend1    
running up and down stairs1 into the    

parlour1 the drawing-room1 the          
bed-rooms1 and making no little work for
 the servants4 ,at first1 every body was
 amused at it2 but1 after a time1 the   
poor hen became so troublesome that we  
were obliged to give her away4 ,jack1   
the dumb boy1 would put his hands to his
 sides1 and laugh till he lost his      
breath1 to see my fat hen1 as he called 
her1 waddling after me1 without minding 
either dogs or strangers1 and he was in 
great trouble when she was sent away4   
,jack's care of the poultry1 and his    
anxiety to prevent their being hunted1  
or hurt1 would have delighted you4      
,nothing pleased him better than to see 
that fine fellow1 the cock1 when he had 
scratched up or found any nice thing1   
calling the hens and chickens about him1
 bidding them take it1 and never seeming
 even to wish for it himself4 ,jack used
 to say1 ,good2 beautiful6 ,god made    
poor bird4 ,when he was a little boy1 he
 had seen some cock-fighting2 and he    
used to tell me of it1 in his way1 with 

so much grief and anger4 ,he said1 ,god 
see bad man hurt poor birds--make birds 
fight4 ,the tears would come into his   
eyes1 when he thought how the birds were
 tortured2 but he always ended by       
pitying the men and boys who suffered   
,satan to tempt them into such          
wickedness1 for which they would be     
dreadfully punished at last4  ,jack was 
very fond of small birds3 ,i suppose you
 think1 then1 that he had some in a     
cage2 and that he caught them in traps1 
for he was very ingenious4 ,no2 ,jack   
would as soon1 and sooner1 have gone to 
prison himself4 ,he could not bear the  
idea of imprisoning a bird4 ,canaries1  
indeed1 and such others as could not    
live in our cold climate1 and which1    
having been hatched in a cage1 would not
 have known how to use their liberty1 he
 did not object to1 but took great      
pleasure in giving them pans or saucers 
of clean water1 to bathe themselves in2 
and plenty of fresh sand1 and nice food3
 but most birds he could not bear to see

 within the bars of a prison4 ,the      
robin1 the thrush1 the blackbird1 the   
linnet1 the sparrow1 he knew it was a   
sin to deprive of their liberty4 ,i have
 seen him persuade other boys to break  
their traps1 or to let the poor         
frightened captives go3 and ,i have seen
 him clap his hands with joy as they    
spread out their pretty wings1 and flew 
above the earth1 in the open firmament  
of heaven1 as they were made to do2 but 
,i do not believe that a whole pocket   
full of silver and gold would have      
tempted ,jack to catch and sell a bird4 
,indeed1 ,i am sure it would not2 for he
 knew that neither silver nor gold1 nor 
any thing that is to be bought with     
them1 would make a person's heart feel  
happy2 and that the commission of a sin 
would make him feel very unhappy2 for   
nothing was so dreadful to ,jack as the 
idea of offending his gracious ,god1 or 
grieving the ,holy ,spirit1 who dwells  
in the heart of every true believer4    
,now1 perhaps1 you will say1 ,i would   

not catch and sell birds to put money in
 my own pocket2 but may ,i not do it to 
earn a little for those who really want 
it8 ,but robbing is not earning4 ,if you
 catch a bird1 or a fish1 not belonging 
to another person1 to kill and eat it1  
or to sell or to give it to others for  
food1 you do what ,god has permitted2   
and if it is done for this purpose1 and 
not for sport1 nobody can blame you4    
,but1 though the ,lord has given you the
 bodies of his creatures for food1 he   
has never given you their natural       
liberty1 either for your amusement or   
profit4  ,as for keeping birds in a cage
 to sing1 if you look at the hundred and
 fourth ,psalm1 you will find that they 
were made to sing among the branches4   
,go into the fields1 and listen to their
 happy little songs of liberty1 and take
 from them a lesson of thankful joy3 or1
 if you want them at home1 put crumbs   
and grains of corn on the windows1 and  
they will learn to come and pick them   
up1 and thank you with their merry      

notes4 ,only do not be so mean and      
treacherous as to draw a snare or close 
a trap over the poor things when they   
come1 as they think1 to be fed by your  
bounty4 ,people who love music so well  
as to make an innocent creature         
miserable that they may enjoy its songs 
will wish1 some day1 that they had been 
born deaf4  ,but there is one thing that
 ,i am sorry to see many boys doing     
every spring1 and which they cannot     
defend by any such excuses4 ,i often    
wonder who was the first to begin such a
 disgraceful custom1 the most cruel1    
senseless1 and babyish piece of folly3  
,i mean what is called bird-nesting4    
,god said to the creatures1 ,be fruitful
 and multiply1--let fowl multiply in the
 earth4 ,at the same time1 ,he gave them
 a wonderful instinct and skill1 such as
 man's reason cannot imitate4 ,the birds
 must keep their eggs very warm for a   
certain number of days1 to bring to life
 the little creatures that are forming  
within them2 and the eggs being so very 

delicate and brittle1 they must also    
have a soft place to lie in1 close      
enough for the bird's body to cover them
 all2 and be out of reach of rats1 and  
other enemies4 ,so1 when the bird is    
going to lay1 she and her mate set to   
work1 and what wonderful work it is6    
,these little creatures1 without any    
hands1 or even paws like four-footed    
animals1 to help them1 and with only the
 bits of stick1 hay1 grass1 dead leaves1
 wool1 hairs1 and moss1 that they can   
pick up with their bills1 presently form
 a soft1 snug1 warm1 strong apartment1  
as round as a tea-cup1 and exactly of   
the proper size2 placed1 too1 where it  
will be little seen1 sheltered above    
from the wet1 yet airy enough to keep it
 fresh and wholesome1 and so smooth on  
the inside that even the delicate naked 
body of a bird just hatched cannot be   
made uneasy by a rough point4 ,it costs 
the parent-birds a great deal of        
trouble2 and if you leave a nest        
untouched from one year to another1     

neither disturbing the eggs nor the     
nestings1 you will find it the next     
spring nicely repaired and new lined1   
and a new family in it4 ,oh6 ,i do wish 
that boys1 remembering how1 by the      
goodness of our equal laws1 a poor man's
 house is his castle1 would let a poor  
bird's little nest be its castle too6   
,he is the bravest boy who will defend  
the weak from the strong2 and he is the 
best boy who loves and is kind to the   
least of ,god's creatures for the sake  
of the glorious ,creator4  ,but perhaps 
you may say1 ,well1 ,i will not spoil   
the nest2 ,i will only take the eggs4   
,no1 pray do not take the eggs4 ,what   
pleasure in the world can a parcel of   
little eggs afford you1 compared with   
the delight that the poor harmless      
mother takes in them as she sits in her 
warm house1 of her own making1 listening
 for the first faint chirp of the tiny  
creature within8 ,birds only bring up   
one family in a year2 and if you take   
from them the eggs that are to produce  

that one1 you rob them of all the       
happiness for which they took so much   
trouble4 ,you are not enough of a hen to
 hatch the eggs1 though you may be      
enough of a goose to try3 then think1   
and be too much of a man to do such a   
silly1 cruel thing4 ,you like1 perhaps1 
to blow the inside out1 and string the  
shells in a row4 ,oh you thoughtless    
child6 ,you must certainly be a very    
little child to take pleasure in such a 
babyish thing2 and you are very1 very   
thoughtless and wrong to do it at the   
expense of a poor innocent bird which   
never injured or wished to injure you1  
though you can rob it of all its        
delight1 to please such a silly fancy4  
,if you want a pretty thing to ornament 
your room1 go and pick up some round1   
clear pebbles1 of different colours1 and
 give one side of them a polish at the  
grindstone2 then get some pieces of     
brick1 and join them together in the    
shape of an arch1 or any thing you      
fancy1 with a little mortar2 spread more

 mortar1 thick and rough1 over the      
front1 and1 while it is wet1 stick in   
your pebbles1 with the shining side     
outmost1 with bits of glass1 moss1      
sealing-wax1 and any gay thing that     
comes in your way4 ,i have seen such    
pretty contrivances1 and have said to   
myself1 ,the boy who made this is       
skilful1 and may come to be a good      
builder1 or other artisan1 some day2 but
 when ,i see bird's eggshells hung up1  
,i turn away with a feeling of pain1    
because ,i know that somebody must be   
there1 either idle and cruel1 or        
encouraging their children to be so4    
,illustration  ,but there is something  
far worse than this4 ,when the mother   
bird has made her nest1 and sat long    
days and nights on her eggs1 and heard  
the little ones chirp within1 and helped
 them to break the thin shell1 and felt 
their little warm bodies cuddling       
themselves among her soft feathers1 and 
seen their yellow beaks open to ask her 
for the food that it gives such joy to  

her affectionate heart to put into them2
 oh1 ,,then1 can you turn all her honest
 happiness into misery and mourning1 and
 kill those baby-birds with a miserable 
death1 by cold and hunger1 if not by    
other tortures4 ,if ever you have done  
this1 pray to the ,lord ,god to forgive 
your sin1 for ,jesus ,christ's sake4 ,do
 you think ,he will forgive you8 ,yes1  
you say1 because he is very merciful4   
,indeed he is and for that very reason  
he hates cruelty3 but while you look to 
the ,lord's mercy for pardon1 you must  
steadily resolve to offend no more by   
doing what he hates2 else you only mock 
him4  ,i do not myself understand how   
anybody can bear to hurt little birds1  
they are such endearing creatures2 but  
,i have seen it with my own eyes1 and am
 obliged to believe it4 ,bad example    
will go a great way4 ,boys1 and men too1
 will do what they see others do1       
without stopping to think of the great  
truth that ,god sees them too4 ,but1    
then1 good example goes far also2 and   

the person who is careful not to do     
wrong has the comfort of knowing that he
 is showing others the right way4 ,while
 ,i write this little book1 ,i am       
praying to the ,lord to make it the     
means of persuading many young readers  
to be merciful2 and that their good     
example will persuade many more1 who may
 not see the book2 and so good will be  
done1 greater than you now think4  ,i   
have a cockatoo4 ,a friend brought him  
from ,india1 and a funny bird he is1 but
 terribly noisy4 ,he soon began to bark 
like ,fid1 and to growl like ,bronti2 to
 cackle like the hens1 and to imitate   
every loud noise that he heard4 ,we     
hoped1 if he had a good teacher1 he     
would learn to sing1 instead of making  
such a riot1 as he whistles uncommonly  
well after his master4 ,so we went to   
buy a ,canary bird1 and you may be sure 
we bought two2 for it is very cruel to  
shut up a bird alone in a cage4 ,the    
cockatoo is not in a cage1 but on a     
stand1 dancing and chattering all day4  

,we put our canaries into a very large  
cage1 with a good-sized pan of fresh    
water every day1 clean gravel1 and      
plenty of seed4 ,nothing could be       
happier1 or tamer1 than these little    
things2 but one day the hen got at some 
green paper1 which she pecked at through
 the wires1 and the stuff that coloured 
it killed her at once4 ,we got another  
directly in her place1 and there they   
are in the sunshine1 on a table close by
 me1 splashing the paper on which ,i    
write with the water2 for they delight  
to plunge into it1 till they are wet in 
every feather4 ,nothing is more         
necessary to animals and birds than     
plenty of fresh water4 ,my pigeons have 
a pan of it to wash in1 and it wants    
changing several times a day2 and you do
 not know how much birds in confinement 
suffer if that is neglected4 ,a glass   
hung outside1 if always kept full1 is   
good to drink out of2 but a bath in the 
cage is the great luxury4  ,perhaps you 
will ask1 ,has the cockatoo learned to  

sing8 ,no1 ,i am sorry to say1 he is as 
noisy as ever1 and not at all musical4  
,we keep him quiet by giving him sticks 
to break1 and knotted cord to untie2 and
 when he has been good ,i take him on my
 lap1 and rub his head and wings1 which 
he greatly likes4 ,i never yet saw the  
animal1 down to a little mouse1 that    
would not be fond of those who treated  
it tenderly2 and the pleasure of being  
loved is so great1 that ,i only wonder  
how anybody can neglect to win the love 
of the creatures which were made for    
man's use and benefit4 ,there is a      
wonderful deal of happiness among them1 
showing how1 as the ,psalm says1 the    
,lord's tender mercies are over all his 
works2 and a little kindness makes them 
so familiar1 that we are always reminded
 how sociable they were with ,adam in   
the garden of ,eden2 and how happy they 
and we should all be together now1 if   
sin had not entered into the world to   
destroy the beauty and blessedness that 
were upon every thing when ,god first   

made them1 and saw that they were all   
very good4     ,illustration  ,,chapter 
,,vii4  ,,fishes--,,insects4   ,a story 
about ,jack4 ,when he was a little      
fellow1 soon after he came to me1 and   
before he knew many words1 he made me   
understand that he wanted a very long1  
slender stick4 ,i asked a gardener of a 
friend1 and he cut him a fine one from a
 particular sort of tree4 ,then ,jack   
laid out a penny1 all that he had1 on a 
coarse bit of line1 such as fishermen   
use2 and1 lastly1 he came to me for some
 large pins3 one of which he bent like a
 hook2 explaining to me that he was     
going to dig for worms to put upon it1  
that he might fish4 ,i shook my head1   
saying1 ,no4 ,jack nodded his head1 and 
said ,yes4 ,i said bad2 ,jack said good2
 and then ,i took up his little red     
hand1 and pretended ,i was going to run 
the hook through the flesh4 ,he snatched
 it away in a fright1 saying ,bad1 bad6 
but ,i nodded1 and said ,good1 good6 ,he
 said1 ,bad ,mam1 hurt ,jack6 and ,i    

answered1 ,bad ,jack1 hurt worm3 ,god   
made ,jack--,god made worm4 ,he shook   
his head1 and said1 ,no2 and what do you
 think was the reason he gave8 ,he      
reminded me that ,god is high up above1 
and that the worms come from below1     
under the ground4 ,the little fellow did
 not know that the world is round2 he   
thought it was flat3 still less did he  
then understand that ,god is everywhere1
 and made all things1 above and beneath4
 ,then ,i told him that the ,lord did   
so2 and that worms and other things were
 put into the earth by him1 even as we  
were made to walk upon its surface4     
,jack considered a little2 and then said
 the worms were rolled up in the world  
as apples were in a dumpling1 and that  
they eat their way through the crust4   
,it was an odd idea1 and made me smile2 
on which he said1 ,good1 and told me he 
would fish with a piece of meat or bread
 for a bait4  ,illustration3 ,,the      
,,tadpole ,,or ,,young ,,frog4  ,next   
morning1 ,jack came to me1 and after    

reminding me of this1 he asked me if    
,god also made the little newts1        
tadpoles1 and frogs1 and other things   
that he had seen in the muddy ditches8  
,i replied1 ,yes1 all4 ,did ,god make   
fishes8 ,oh yes1 ,i answered1 he made   
fishes and every thing4 ,then1 in a very
 lively manner1 he made me understand1  
that if ,god did not like to have him   
hurt the worms1 neither would he like to
 have him hurt the fish4 ,poor fish6 he 
said1 showing me how its mouth would be 
torn by the hook2 and then1 to my       
surprise1 he got a small hatchet1 and   
chopped up his fine fishing-rod into    
walking-sticks2 and from that day he    
could never bear to see anybody angling4
 ,he used to tell him1 if they wanted to
 fish to eat or sell1 to catch them with
 a net1 and to kill them at once2 and ,i
 believe that the sight of the deaf and 
dumb boy1 taking such pains to plead for
 the creatures which are not only dumb1 
but have no way of pleading for         
themselves1 was the means of checking   

many persons in cruel practices4 ,he    
knew very little compared with what you1
 perhaps1 know2 but he knew one blessed 
truth--he knew that ,god so loved the   
world that he gave his only begotten    
,son1 that whosoever believeth in him   
should not perish1 but have everlasting 
life2 and by always thinking on this    
great mercy of ,god to man1 and the     
exceeding love of our ,lord ,jesus      
,christ1 in dying for poor sinners like 
us1 ,jack came to hate whatever he knew 
to be displeasing to that gracious ,lord
 and heavenly ,father2 and the happiness
 that he felt in his own soul made him  
delight in seeking the happiness of     
every creature around him4  ,jack died  
of a slow decline4 ,he had much pain1   
but ,i never saw him look impatient or  
unhappy4 ,he felt what ,david so        
beautifully describes in the            
twenty-third ,psalm3 ,though ,i walk    
through the valley of the shadow of     
death1 ,i will fear no evil3 for thou   
art with me4 ,he knew quite well that he

 was going to die2 but it never made him
 uneasy4 ,he knew that ,god was at peace
 with him1 through the merits of the    
,redeemer2 and he was at peace with all 
the world4 ,his dying pillow was not    
made a pillow of thorns by the          
remembrance of having made any living   
thing suffer torment2 nor were his short
 sleeps disturbed by terrible dreams of 
what he had forgotten until the time    
drew near to appear before ,god4 ,i     
could tell fearful stories of some who  
died as young as ,jack1 and whose       
death-beds can never be forgotten by    
those who saw them4 ,they had been cruel
 to ,god's dumb creatures1 and never    
gave a thought to what they had done2   
but when death was near1 when the poor  
weak body could not rise from the bed1  
nor the soul be any longer deceived with
 the thought of years to come1 it was   
horrible to hear the cries they uttered1
 and the wild things that they said     
about beasts1 and birds1 and insects    
tortured by them in the days of their   

health and strength4 ,there was one in  
particular1 a butcher's boy1 who could  
not be comforted3 he said1 the calves1  
the sheep1 and the lambs1 had provoked  
him by their unwillingness to be caught 
and driven into the slaughter-yard1 and 
he had revenged himself by making their 
deaths as painful as he could2 and that 
he saw them then--whether his eyes were 
open or shut1 he always saw them--all   
bleeding1 and torn1 and struggling1 as  
they used to do3 and whatever was said  
to him1 or whatever noise was made1 he  
heard their cries of agony louder than  
all4 ,when he was told that ,god was    
merciful1 he answered1 ,yes2 but ,i had 
no mercy1 and there is no mercy for me4 
,i wish ,i could tell you that he died  
praying for pardon2 but1 alas6 he died  
shrieking out that he must go to hell4  
,at that time1 ,i was asked to write a  
book about it1 to warn others2 but ,i   
was so much shocked that ,i could not   
write about it4 ,i mention it now1 to   
show you that sometimes1 even in this   

world1 the dreadful work of judgment is 
begun--judgment without mercy1 to those 
who show no mercy4  ,but you must not   
suppose that ,jack's happiness and      
peace1 and confidence in ,god1 came from
 any thing that he had done1 or any     
thing that he had refrained from doing4 
,no1 it was all from believing with his 
whole heart that ,god loved him for the 
sake of his dear son1 the ,lord ,jesus  
,christ4 ,now1 if ,jack has said1 or    
fancied1 that he loved ,god1 and had at 
the same time been cruel1 or lived in   
any other sin1 it would have proved that
 he was mistaken1 and he would have had 
no real peace4 ,if you pass by a garden 
and see clusters of fine ripe grapes    
hanging from the boughs of a tree1 and  
anybody should say to you1 ,that's a    
fine vine1 you would agree with him at  
once2 but if he pointed to a tree where 
horse-chestnuts were growing1 and called
 it a vine1 you would laugh at him2 you 
know the difference between a sweet     
juicy grape1 and a hard1 bitter1        

uneatable horse-chestnut4 ,yet you would
 not say that the grapes made the vine1 
would you8 ,no1 they did not make it a  
vine1 but they proved it to be one4 ,if 
a boy were to tie bunches of grapes to a
 horse-chestnut tree1 and tell you it   
was a vine1 you would say no1 it is not 
a real vine--the fruit did not grow upon
 it4  ,in this way1 ,i may say that ,i  
knew ,jack to be a true child of ,god3  
because the fruit of good works grew    
upon him4 ,it was not in look only1 but 
really and indeed1 that he was the      
character ,i have described2 and if you 
read carefully1 very carefully1 the     
fifteenth chapter of ,st4 ,john's       
,gospel1 you will see what ,i mean4 ,in 
that beautiful chapter1 our ,lord ,jesus
 ,christ compares himself to a vine1 his
 people to the branches1 and the good   
works that they do to the grapes2 and he
 shows us that if we do not really      
belong to him1 and keep close to him1   
7which we can only do by believing and  
praying17 then we are like the branches 

cut off from the vine1 which cannot     
possibly bring forth any grapes4 ,you   
may think little of this now2 but you   
must think of it1 whether you will or   
no1 when you come to die4 ,perhaps you  
say to yourself1 ,ay1 but when ,i come  
to die1 ,i will pray1 and make my peace 
with ,god4 ,do not deceive yourself with
 such a vain hope3 there is a very      
terrible warning given in the first     
chapter of ,proverbs1 which you must not
 forget4 ,the ,lord is addressing such  
as mean to put off repenting and        
praying1 and serving him1 to another    
time1 when sickness or some other       
calamity shall frighten them into       
calling on him for pardon and help4     
,these are the words3 ,because ,i have  
called1 and ye refused2 ,i have         
stretched out my hand1 and no man       
regarded2 but ye have set at nought all 
my counsel1 and would none of my        
reproof2 ,i also will laugh at your     
calamity2 ,i will mock when your fear   
cometh1 when your fear cometh as        

desolation1 and your destruction cometh 
as a whirlwind2 when distress and       
anguish cometh upon you4 ,then shall    
they call upon me1 but ,i will not      
answer2 they shall seek me early1 but   
they shall not find me3 for that they   
hate knowledge1 and did not choose the  
fear of the ,lord3 they would none of my
 counsel3 they despised all my reproof4 
,does not this alarm you8 ,then do not  
be found a day longer among those who   
refuse to hear the gracious voice of the
 ,lord ,jesus1 who invites you to come  
to him for eternal life2 and who will1  
if you ask it in his name1 send the     
,holy ,spirit to guide you in the good  
way1 and make you real branches of the  
good ,vine1 as he made the dumb boy4    
,when ,jack was eleven years old1 he    
became a true servant of the ,lord2 and 
he died at nineteen1 and went to live in
 heaven with the blessed ,master whom he
 had delighted to serve upon earth4     
,his religion made him so happy1 there  
was not a merrier boy to be found4 ,some

 people will tell you that being        
religious makes a boy feel dull and     
melancholy4 ,ask them if they think you 
so silly as to believe that walking in  
the summer sunshine will make you feel  
dark and cold8 ,true religion is to man 
what the bright sunshine is to the      
little insects that sport upon the wing1
 and who find in it not only their light
 but their life4  ,illustration3 ,,the  
,,woolly ,,bear ,,caterpillar4  ,does   
any boy's conscience smite him at my    
naming the insects8 ,i hope not4 ,i hope
 you have not been tempted by ,satan to 
do any harm to the little harmless1 and 
often useful1 creatures that cross your 
path4 ,a butterfly1 a cockchaffer1 a    
house-fly1 a snail1 a caterpillar1 a    
worm--these1 and all others1 are ,god's 
handy-work2 and if you could see them   
through a glass that magnifies very much
 indeed1 you would be more astonished   
than ,i can tell you4 ,the small powder1
 scarcely seen on your finger's end1    
from the wing of a butterfly1 is a lump 

of the most beautiful feathers1 so      
delicate that the gentlest touch will   
rub some of them off3 the wing itself is
 made of lovely net-work1 like silver   
threads1 stretched on strong wires2 and 
all the skill of all the most skilful   
men in the world could make nothing to  
equal the coarsest part of the plainest 
insect4 ,but it is not their            
beauty--though we ought to see and to   
glorify the ,creator's hand in that--it 
is their delicate sense of feeling that 
should keep us from hurting them4 ,the  
common worm is very useful in dividing  
the clods of earth1 which would         
otherwise become so hard as to prevent  
the fine fibres of the roots of plants  
from forcing their way1 and then the    
plants would die4 ,man has not          
discovered all the uses of the different
 insects2 but ,god has made nothing in  
vain3 and though1 for our own safety and
 comfort1 we must destroy some sorts1   
still we are bound to do it in the      
quickest and most complete manner1 or   

else we must give an account to their   
,creator and ours for the cruelty we    
commit4 ,i have killed insects myself1  
for no reason but because ,i saw that   
they must fall into the hands of boys1  
or others1 whom ,i knew to be so        
dreadfully wicked as to take pleasure in
 torturing them2 but ,i did it          
sorrowfully2 feeling that ,i could not  
give life to the meanest reptile1 and   
that ,i must be able to render to ,god a
 reason for taking it away4 ,i have     
found poor harmless insects alive1 most 
cruelly maimed1 with their wings or legs
 torn off1 or their bodies pierced      
through2 and ,i shuddered to think how  
the eye of ,god was fixed on those who  
did it1 never losing sight of them2 and 
,i have prayed that he would change     
their wicked hearts before it was too   
late4  ,and now ,i have finished my     
book4 ,while ,i was writing it1 more    
than a few funerals passed my window1   
the coffins being those of very young   
people2 and this made me more anxious to

 go on2 for ,i thought to myself1       
,perhaps some boy or girl will read it  
who has never thought rightly about     
these things1 and will presently        
determine not to go on in sin1 but to   
become merciful and obedient1 and all   
that they ought to be4 ,if they try to  
do this of themselves1 they will soon   
find that the sinful nature of ,adam is 
too strong in them2 and the more they   
try to mend themselves1 they will find  
,satan is the more busy1 leading them   
into more wickedness4 ,then1 perhaps1   
they will mind what ,i have said about  
the need not only of pardon1 but of help
 from the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,they   
will pray to ,god1 for his sake1 to give
 them a new heart1 holy1 humble1        
obedient1 and merciful4 ,this prayer    
will be heard2 for our gracious ,god    
hears and answers the prayer of the     
poorest child as readily as that of the 
mightiest king4 ,then they will know    
what it really is to love ,god1 and to  
keep his commandments1 because they love

 him2 and what a sweet example they will
 set to others1 and how happy they will 
be themselves1 and what a blessing to   
all belonging to them6 ,perhaps1 too1   
they will make a little party among the 
kindest-hearted of their playmates1 all 
giving a promise to each other not      
willingly to hurt any of ,god's         
creatures2 but to do the best they can  
to persuade every one to be merciful to 
the dumb animals1 birds1 fishes1 and    
insects4 ,if they live1 they will grow  
up to be such men and women as we want1 
to bring a blessing on this land2 and in
 their own children they will reap the  
reward of having shown tenderness to the
 helpless4 ,if they die young1 they will
 be like my happy boy ,jack1 not afraid 
of death2 but willing and rejoiced to go
 to the ,saviour1 whom they sought and  
found so early4 ,oh1 may the ,lord grant
 this blessing to my little book1 that  
at the great day of judgment ,i may meet
 with some happy spirits to tell me that
 it was not written in vain6 ,,blessed  

,,are ,,the ,,merciful1 ,,for ,,they    
,,shall ,,obtain ,,mercy4 ,matt4 v4 #g4 
,illustration3 ,,finis