A philosophical amusement upon the language of beasts / Written originally in French. By Father Bougeant ... , now confined at La Fleche on account of this work.

  • Bougeant, père, 1690-1743. Amusement philosophique sur le langage des bêtes
Date:
1739
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A philosophical amusement upon the language of beasts / Written originally in French. By Father Bougeant ... , now confined at La Fleche on account of this work. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [ *9 ] &bje£b to all the Miferies which are the natural Confequences of their Conditution. But the Evils we endure, are they in reality fuch as they would have been in the State of pure 'Nature ? No. You are obliged to acknowledge that they are much greater, and many Divines propofe, even after St. Aufiin, this Excels of Mifery as a Proof of the Exidence of an original Sin. What are we then to think of the horrid Excefles of Mifery undergone by Beads : Miferies indeed far greater than thofe of Men ? This is in any other Sydem an incomprehenfible Mydery ; whereas nothing is more eafy to be conceived from the Sydem I pro- pofe. The rebellious Spirits deferve a Puniihment dill more rigorous, and happy is it for them that their Puniihment is deferred. In a Word, God*s Goodnefs is vindicated ; Man himfelf is judified : For what Right ean he have, without Necedity, and often in the way of meer Diverfion to take away the Life of' Millions of Beads, if God had not authorized him lb to do; and Beads being as fenfible as ourfelves of Pain and Death, how could a juft and merciful God have given Man that Priviledge, if they were not lb many guilty Victims of the divine Vengeance ? But hear, continued he, fomething dill more con¬ vincing, and of greater Confequence. Beads by na¬ ture are extremely vicious. We know very well that they never Sin, becaufe they are not free ; but this is the only Condition wanting to make them Sinners. The voracious Beads and Birds of Prey are cruel. Many Infeeds of one and the fame Species devour each other. Cats are perfidious and ungrateful. Monkeys are mifehievous. Dogs are envious. All Beads in general are jealous and revengeful to excels, not to mention many Other Vices which we obferye in them: and at Ç z the
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