Fair play., 1880-02-14
Piety in Animals.

Proofs of sa-aciiy involving what
would seem processes uf Judgment. in
ference and generalization fairly equal :"
those of the average man. have been
mad. familiar /" u hv tn" reports of
na;,trali-tS without number. II not hy
opportunities of personal observation.
OF wii,tt arIGir, .ucntH animals Of all
sorts are capable, under mans >kilifUl
and patient tr.ilinn, al must J." fairly
convinced TO this cuitllr" nj TIE intel
lnct and the emotions W" are Taught ly
Or Lindsay "a >lII-r;,,ii the develop
incui If the rr!iwi,Il- ic.iin:c in animals.
whether in he form Of natural l'iriy or
g: Il kind of animal hH''"rifn,yf. Nof
only ,",-> tn" dn-. for instance. worship
his master and learn fr'lG ili- rXtIul'l"
/" display dcrprr:m il kirk "r' chapel.
but. i'll common with many another
species outside the pale ol humanity. he
is capable OF rcli ligiou> trrin" ami action
Of '!ircri and spontaneous character.
The >crmy behavior "f the Scottish
COLI. in kirk iS rn>picuuu> anon" the
attributes which have ~iv..n tina; sara
ci'.ri~ ,Ir,.:,lrulr"d IL high and well earned
reputation.
Nmr i devotional dccoTum. all impair
tial critics uf animals will learn with
pl.&s,rr. confined /" 4 sin !ln elias I'll
tir"lngiral opinion. "iu France. Il
Catholic country. ON the contrary. ,io">
attend PRAYER or mass with tln'Ir nIas-
t"r>. exhibiting in the grand ciiilr,lr:i>
Of that heau,iful land Il hrrnnlinm he
haviOr, including ~ravity nf look and de-
mran"r, silence. ami mhii"ml.-Sn'.>s', an
attitude Of apparent attention or in'rni
ness, and probable fcciin" of ave. pro
duccd, il may hr. hy the dim rcl!giuu>
light Of such c,;iiiccS, or hy the varied
impressive sights and sounds tha, cnyi-
ron ;hem'-a kind of conduct. n short,
"niy too instructive or suggestive 80 II
revcrcnt man. Nay. q more emphatic
lcssoE still is tam ght by his canine com
panion la many u laN Roman Catholic.
Stree "" are taught, on the antiinrilv nf
:. Nouthcy" (whatcvcr that may hc),
that ''in Catholic countries rhIr,.lI-"ninw
dogs have been led to the STAGE Of id~i-
ing.'
Nor are dogs the only animals tha,
may claim occasionally (" bc piols.
- ''While c"liie~ regularly attend church,
they can no. he said, II :, rule, I" take
any active or intelligent part in the >"rv-
ice; hut in the ease of the parrot. which
is not usually allowed I" attend church,
The bird not unfrcJucntly takes Il prom
incn: and certainly intelligent part in
the private worship Of its masters
household. Such parrots, for instance,
make RESPONSES at the proper iimr-a An
exercise that implies Il good deal more
than mere memory. mcr: attention I"
the service. They have been taught,
moreover, or they have learned, {" re-
peat mans "rcedS. I" reci,r PRAYERS,
and even, or otherwise in certain
sense, TO act rs domestic chaplainS- aS
substitutes, in other words, for man HIM
self. As in 50 many other eases, the
bchavior-nay, the very speech-;he
remarks or conversation If the bird. are
suitable t" place, time and other cir.im-
stances. Thus certain English bishops
parrot is (Or was) in the habi, of saving
sometimes quite devrntly and with
becoming Solemni,y, at other time,
sarcastically or ironically. bu, in either
case At proper seascn> a.it! appropriately
to the circumstances-"L Let Us pray.''
OF another We are told that it 'scould
sing-in correct time ard measure
There is a happy land ''-LonFon
!Snturriag Reriesr