[8]"We clearly rank the practice of hunting and shooting for diversion with vain sports; and we believe the awakened mind may see, that even the leisure of those whom providence hath permitted to have a competence of worldly goods, is but ill filled up with these amusements.  Therefore, being not only accountable for our substance, but also for our time, let our leisure be employed in serving our neighbour, and not in distressing the creatures of God for our amusement.”

[Footnote 8:  Book of Extracts.]

I shall not take upon me to examine the different reasons upon which we find the foundation of this law.  I shall not enquire how far a man’s substance, or rather his talent, is wasted or misapplied, in feeding a number of dogs in a costly manner, while the poor of the neighbourhood may be starving, or how far the galloping after these is in the eye of christianity a misapplication of a person’s time.  I shall adhere only to that part of the argument, how far a person has a right to make a [9]pleasure of that, which occasions pain and death to the animal-creation:  and I shall shew in what manner the Quakers argue upon this subject, and how they persuade themselves, that they have no right to pursue such diversions, but particularly when they consider themselves as a body of professing christians.

[Footnote 9:  The Quakers and the poet Cowper likewise, in their laudable zeal for the happiness of the brute-creation, have given an improper description of the nature of the crime of these diversions.  They have made it to consist in a man’s deriving pleasure from the sufferings of the animals in question, whereas it should have been made to consist in his making a pleasure of a pursuit which puts them to pain.  The most abandoned sportsman, it is to be presumed, never hunts them because he enjoys their sufferings.  His pleasure arises from considerations of another nature.]

SECT.  II.

Diversions of the field judged first by the morality of the Old Testament—­original charter to kill animals—­condition annexed to it—­sentiments of Cowper—­rights and duties springing from this charter—­violation of it the violation of a moral law—­diversions in question not allowable by this standard.

The Quakers usually try the lawfulness of field-diversions, which include hunting and shooting, by two standards, and first by the morality of the old Testament.

They believe in common with other christians, that men have a right to take away the lives of animals for their food.  The great creator of the universe, to whom every thing that is in it belongs, gave to Noah and his descendants a grant or charter for this purpose.  In this charter no exception is made.  Hence wild animals are included in it equally with the tame.  And hence a hare may as well be killed, if people have occasion for food, as a chicken or a lamb.

They believe also that, when the creator of the universe gave men dominion over the whole brute-creation, or delivered this creation into their hands, he intended them the right of destroying such animals, as circumstances warranted them in supposing would become injurious to themselves.  The preservation of themselves, which is the first law of nature, and the preservation of other animals under their care, created this new privilege.