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MR. URBAN,

THE gold Ring (Fig. 10) was found some few years ago by a labourer at plough in the parish of Castle Hedingham, Essex. The point of the ploughshare had passed through it, and had probably carried it some distance, as one side of it is rather injured. It is conjectured to have been the inauguration ring of Lucia Countess of Oxford, the first Abbess of Hedingham Nunnery, which is supposed to have been founded late in the twelfth or early in the thirteenth century. The engraving on the face of the ring represents the Virgin crowned, holding in her right hand the holy infant, and in her left a sceptre; the remainder of the exterior circle is twisted, and ornamented at the widest part with a kind of quatrefoil flower on a branch. On the broadest part of the interior is the black-letter inscription, “en ioye demorez." Yours, &c.

г. M.

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. THE following Essay is written by an eminent antiquary; and we insert it, as being to the purpose.-Edit.

There cannot possibly be a more severe remark upon human nature, than that it needs advice upon the subject of feeling. It is disgraceful both in the view of reason and disposition. No interest of any kind can be promoted by harshness or cruelty; and a temper which indulges in such habits only aggravates the unavoidable evils of existence, by unnecessary miseries. If, like the good Samaritan, we beheld the wounded traveller lying by the road side, and instead of pouring into his wounds oil and wine, should administer things which caused them to smart more severely, and prevented the cure, what could we say in defence of such conduct? Certainly nothing. And yet a like behaviour is quite common. What I mean refers to the treatment of the brute creation. Considering the very superior power of man, these often unfortunate animals are, as to their means of resisting or escaping evil, in a situation just as bad as that of the wounded traveller who fell among thieves. I say among thieves, for surely he who takes away my labour and my time, the only means by which Providence has allowed me to support myself, acts in the same manner, and with as bad effects as if he had taken away my mo¬

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ney; and if he beats me, and starves me into the bargain, he only murders me by another, perhaps more cruel, method, than that of wounding me by violence, and leaving me half dead. If a child asks a parent for bread, says our Saviour, will he give him a stone; or for a fish, will he give him a serpent? and he puts the case, as quite unnatural. Yet so it is: but what wretches does it suppose such persons to be? It supposes that they are totally insensible to the calls of hunger and the tortures of pain, and that they have a right to regard themselves alone.

The labouring animal would not be kept, if he did not produce more profit to his owner than the value of his keep; and this keep is the wages to which he has a just and natural right. What should we say to that man who employs the labour and time of any hardworking man with a large family, and then defrauds him of his weekly pay. Is there a more crying sin than that of oppressing the poor? But that poor man has a method of relieving himself by the laws, or by ceasing to work for such an infamous master. Now the toiling useful beast is, except in questions of religion and morals, exactly in the situation of such a poor injured man, without any power of redressing his wrongs by law, or of leaving his service. He is taught to depend upon man entirely for his subsistence; and, being his property, he cannot at will forsake his cruel master. He has just as natural a right to existence as his owner; for the grass of the field is created for him, and man can derive no value from it, unless it be expended upon the animals for whom Providence intended it; and, if it be not so laid out, how is man himself to obtain a most important material of food? So sensible are mankind of this, that the animals reared only for food, are always kept well, and never ill-treated. They live, generally speaking, in a state of idleness and indulgence; for the pleasure of animals is presumed, with justice, to consist chiefly in feeding. That is thought to be a much higher gratification to them than to the human race.

The ill-treatment is confined only to the working animals, who are of infinitely more use, in one view. Is it possible that man could exist in any comfort, unless he had the mighty as

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sistance derived from the working animals; and, because they do work, they deserve, of course, more than those animals who live idle; I say more, in a view of reason, even although the profit is derived in a different form, namely, one from the work, the other from the carcase. How cheap, too, is the food, or wages, which the working animals require? One of them, in a day, carries a burden, or travels a distance, more than equal to the joint labours of three or four men, and yet they require far less than the pay of one man. They do not want fire or clothing, and they live peaceably with us, under complete and easy government. The miserable covetous wretch, who refused even the husks which the swine ate to the prodigal son, did not betray a mind more grovelling, mean, and sordid, than does the tyrannical miser, who will not spare even the trifling deduction of due and sufficient support from the profits which the working animals produce. It may be truly and justly estimated, that by far the greater number of people of every civilized nation could not exist at all, in any other form than that of mere labourers or gardeners, unless they were assisted by the brute creation. What would become of us, if we had neither oxen, horses, sheep, swine, or any other animals, for food or labour? Whence would arise the due supply of cities, or extensive cultivation of the soil, and of course, what would become of riches and plenty? Would anything be more shocking or degrading to man, supposing him, as he is, a being destined to live for ever in a glorious eternity, to which moral and religious instruction of the mind is necessary, than to see our fellow creatures perpetually and unceasingly employed in dragging carriages or ploughs; and that, unavoidably, at ten times the expence and convenience of our present method of conveyance? Would not these human beings be soon degraded into mere brutes, by such disgusting drudgery; and does not Providence, by providing us with useful and laborious animals, seemingly intend to guard against such dreadful effects, in relation to our modes of living as reasonable beings; for man guides and instructs the whole creation.

Is it not then the most detestable ingratitude to treat these service

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able friends, these valuable friends in need, with more scanty meals than we lay before common acquaintance of our own kind, of far less use to us, and where there is not even a necessity for a profusion or intemperance, which is very common, to the waste of God's creatures. I do not speak in disparagement of friendship, hospitality, or charity; only in comparison of needless and profligate waste in some cases, with base and ungenerous stinginess in others. Does it never happen that the noble and generous horse stands for hours, even in the depth of winter, at the door of an alehouse, while his unfeeling master is unwilling to allow him sufficient support and rest, lest it should draw a trifle from the funds destined to drunkenness ? Is it not base ingratitude to Providence, thus to treat its valuable blessings with an abuse which implies a very guilty neglect of consideration.

But it is not only by want of suffiIcient food that these useful animals are tortured; it happens as often by working them beyond their powers, and by ill usage from foolish and unnecessary blows. Now good treatment, as well as food, is part of the wages due to these laborious creatures. Does any man ever think of destroying or injuring, by ill-usage or tricks, or violence of any kind, his clock or his watch, which tells him the time, or any other useful article of household furniture? and yet there would be full as much reason in doing that as in harassing the beasts of labour; indeed it would be more innocent, because such articles cannot feel. It is known that unusual speed, or very extraordinary labour, shortens the lives of these useful animals more than superior burdens, provided they are allowed time and leisure for the execution of their tasks; of course, except in particular tracks of employ, as the additional burden will save loss of time, by compensating for repeated journies with greater speed, but less weight, there is not any profit obtained by unnecessary cruelty. Blows are equally foolish in most instances. Encouragement will almost always produce the purpose, if it ought to be produced, because the animal knows the meaning of caresses, and it may be easily seen whether or not he exerts his utmost power, and assuredly it

can never be prudent to overstrain him. In short, there are many particulars which might be noticed, but cannot be so from the necessary brevity to be observed in this place. The intention of pain is to compel us to consult self-preservation, and secure a freedom from accident and rashness, through the misery, which is to be expected from carelessness or folly in such respects: and common feeling ought ever to produce an amiable and virtuous disgust at wantonly and cruelly inflicting it. I shall end these observations, purely founded upon the reason of the thing, with only one further remark, that the treatment which I have described, by shortening life and diminishing value, is injurious and foolish.

From the question, thus discussed as a matter of prudence and credit, I proceed to a view of the subject connected with religion and morals. The Jewish law directed, that the ox or ass, though of an enemy, if it had fallen into a pit, should be taken out, even on the Sabbath-day: and to these and like passages, regarding the treatment of animals, Solomon probably alludes, when he says "" a righteous man (i. e. in the Jewish phrase, one who strictly attends to observation of the law) regardeth the life of his beast." But, setting aside the limitation of this expression to the Jewish law, kindness to animals is certainly the test of a goodnatured disposition, at least so far as concerns that domestic form in which it is best shown; namely, regard to the comfort and well-being of every person or animal dependent upon us. To be the lord of life and death, of pleasure or pain, will be a privilege never abused by a generous mind; it will only be an additional motive for observing superior kindness. Tyranny betrays an unfeeling discontented spirit, quite opposite to the nature of God, and the character of a Christian. The Almighty, by bestowing life, intended, of course, that it should be a blessing and not a curse; or he would never have created animals, with organs capable of receiving pleasure, or an understanding sufficient to know and value kind treatment. How many dumb signs (most interesting appeals to the feelings!) do not these animals often exhibit, in proof of inviolable attachment to a kind and benevolent master. How many times have they

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been known, by the most surprising and wonderful instinct, to have saved even the lives of such masters. The wild beasts themselves, though of the most fierce and cruel habits, have been even reduced by kindness into the fondness of faithful friends. The Almighty, by all these results of kind treatment, has plainly, through his Providence, thus taught us our duty; and he has further confirmed it by the mischief which often ensues from opposite conduct. Anger is a passion, given us to ward off injuries; and as the feelings are the same in all animals, as well as man, it will be shown, where it is possible. How often has cruelty to animals been punished by a resistance and wounds, which have ended in death. So much for the will of God, as plainly pointed out by Providence and Nature, in this matter. As connected with the character of a Christian, the duty is equally clear. A Christian, as such, has no concern with bitterness, wrath, or clamour, on any account, or with any of them. Though firm, he is always mild, and of course always master of himself. The wisdom which is from above is first pure, then peaceable, and its fruits are benevolence and joy. He desires no revenge of any kind; much less mean revenges of this sort, upon poor animals, perhaps for disappointments in unreasonable and unwise expectations, founded on cruelty. He uses the creatures which God has given, so as not to abuse them; and he makes it a rule to let his life be conducted by receiving good with thanksgiving, and evil with submission. Like the direction given to St. Peter in the vision, when the sheet was let down from heaven, he considers nothing unclean (i. e. to be disregarded, as an abhorrence or a nuisance) which God has ennobled by creating, except where it infringes upon the necessities of his self-preservation and defence. He knows that God directed rest on the Sabbath day, to be observed towards the labouring animals, as well as other domestics; and if he is to do all to the glory of God, that can never be promoted by conduct opposite to the spirit and intention of his revealed commandments, and the evident intentions of his Providence.

There is, indeed, a foolish kind of argument derived from their condition, as brute animals. If they were

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incapable of feeling pain, the argument might be solid. It is true that the Almighty has placed the disposal of their lives in the power of man, but we have no ideas which can ever sanction us in torturing them; so far the contrary, that it cannot be done without a sense of shame and a distress of conscience. But what reasonble purpose does it answer? Does it not show passion, or brutality of disposition and is either of these innocent? Does God sanction folly ?

On a subject like this, I have thought it best to speak immediately to the feelings and good sense of mankind. I shall conclude in the same style, by an address to the masters and owners of these dumb useful animals. It is to recommend them to issue positive and peremptory orders to their servants, to treat the animals submitted to their care and protection, with the most humane and careful attention. Like infants, they neither redress, nor help, nor escape wrongs or neglect, or ill-usages; and they so far resemble them in the claims which they have upon our feelings. It is really a disgrace to us to treat anything ill, which is of eminent use; and such are those animals who pass their lives in our service; and, if we were in their place, we should certainly think it just that we should do unto others as we would be done unto. Every man, however, naturally likes what is his own; and as he knows, by the simplest calculations, what is consistent with the powers, and what is necessary to the due support of his labouring animals, the duty of instruction upon this head is easy and simple; and such instruction will redound to his reputation as a man of feeling and good nature.

WALK THROUGH THE HIGHLANDS. (Continued from the last Supplement, p. 601.)

WE entered Lord Breadalbane's domain by a door but a little removed from our inn, and the appearance of every thing around us was extremely noble. Not to mention the more general features of this most striking landscape, the eye is immediately delighted by the exact order in which the place is evidently kept. The grassy and smooth-shaven slopes are highly beautiful, and of an extent hardly equalled in any other spot in the king

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dom. They are, of course, kept in this order at an immense expense. On all sides are the most extensive and towering woods, appearing interminable. In the park the trees are peculiarly fine, particularly an avenue of beech, under the shade of which, to a great extent, the grass is closely mown, and the turf of exquisite softness. The clear waters of the Tay shoot by in all their beauty, while, in the distance, you have a view of the Loch, and its cloud-capt mountains Ben Lawers and Ben More. At this spot alcoves and seats are erected, from which the spectator has an opportunity of enjoying the scene in all its luxuriance. Further on is a sort of summer apartment in the park, adorned with much care both with statues and paintings.

The situation of the house is low and ill-chosen; and, although its size is magnificent, it is a striking instance how inconsistent regular suits of modern apartments are with any thing like castellated architecture. The hall appears insignificant, low, and of small dimensions. In a large room near it

we observed armour of various descriptions, which had belonged to the heroic ancestors of the family, and which had probably been conspicuous in many a field.

We returned by a different route, which led us once more over the bridge, built partly at the expense of the Breadalbane family.

From this point our guide pointed out an island in the Loch, on which was erected, by one of the Kings of Scotland, a priory to the memory of his Queen, as noticed by Gilpin. "Often,” says he, "in the calm still hour of evening, or before the sun had arisen upon the mountains, the boatman plying his course would rest on his oars to listen to the chaunted hymn, or early matins, as they came floating in the breeze along the surface of the lake." So beautiful is the scenery, so delightful the retreat, that no one in contemplating it would be disposed to question the enthusiasm of the boatmen, but would be almost inclined to regret that the peeling organ and chaunted hymn resound there no longer.

We left Kenmore at eleven, and a mile or two onwards were stopped by whole troops of people in their holiday clothes proceeding to kirk