Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-10
IENAN's STUDY on ANIMALS.
Stories OF the French Philosopher Cosc~ru-
ing Brute Intelligence.

ing Brute Intelligence.
Prom the London Truth.
VI. Renan has gone 20 Brittany. where he
usually spends his summers. be and Nine.
henan taking with them grandchildren. birds
ana domestic animals as well IS domestics.
IL amuses HIM 10 contemplate the animals
fTenehman Ike. he is fond Of cats and is .
lover OF dogs. Before he left town he de.canted
with me on dog individuslities." and on the
canine and feline traits which had given him
much pleasure TO note. The mind OF q dog
olneTea mite from that % bright. Affection
common 10 the other
NJ henans personal recollections OF dogs
are endless. md he might III a book with traits
and stories az them and of cate lie thinks We
are on the whole better than our seventeenth
century ancestors. and Asks fnr no fuller proof
than what lies in the present aav manner OF
looking at animals. Descartes and the fhiloa-
ophers 81 has time only saw in them machines
They were wound mp like autoyata TO do GER
tam things. Their suffering could not be very
deep when they were beaten or otherwise IN
used. IL there now vIvisectioni-ts in whom
the lust Of cruelty goes sometimes hand In
hand with the love OF science there are people
20 enforce Martins act and the Grnmmont law
The world saws NJ. Renan a. learning 10 see
relatives-in collateral and far outf degrees no
doubt-in animals. Their poor little lives are
lust like ours. but cast in narrower lines lou
find the germ Of every faculty that We can
boast OF in their hearts and brains. The worst
sin Of omission OF Christianity was ito disregard
for animal life. The beasts that perish" were
on the same plane as Descartes Automats.
Greek paganism was kinder. il seeing gods
goddesses and lovely and interesting person.
disguised - beasts and birds. Divine father
hood, SAYS VI. Renan, with a sh-ewd glance.
was revealed in the vain imaginings OF the
ologians. Bat the divine motherhood
proved very low down indeed.
Ii was hard in q symbol-loving age Tor the
maternal instinct OF lower mammalia and birds
not TO have taught the lesson figured by the
Italian painters OF the Virgin Mary, Queen %
Heaven. Ladies on the platform Of superior
rights FOR their sex will be pleased TO know that
the illustrious author OF La Vie de Jesus"
places the winged or the four-footed mother on
a Tar higher plane than male creatures Of the
same species ! shall be disappointed on going,
after death, behind the other side Of the cur
tain; 10 find there is no paradise for animals
(if there be one for human bengal, and not TO
hnd the females on higher level than the
males Should not in all Justice the hen that
brought up clutches OF chicks be exalted above
the strutting, yAin-glorious cock2
Nj. Eenan had known any number Of in
stances OF superior sagacity in brood hens. He
felt that he did not 20 too far in regarding cats
and dogs that he had known ss humble rela-
tives When child he had for a neighbor .
dog that, dishking the Fridays dinner Of fsh
and potatoes, used regularly on Thursdays TO
go looking about for bones, TO hide them for
his meals next day. How did he know that
Thursday preceded Friday? Another dog ssso-
ciated Sunday with personal cleanliness, and
used, as regularly as Il came round, TO 60 and
take a bath, unless the weather very cold,
when he gave himself absolution. His name
was Jocko.
Another dog. called Corah. was known as the
guardian angel for miles around. We're there
Montyon prize for canine kindliness. Corah
would have deserved it, Her particular mis-
sion was TO amuse sick children. Whenever q
child Was i'll at Treguer Corah was sent for.
knowing on what mission she was called. she
went bounding TO the house where the little
sufferer iay, and gamboled about its bed until
she caused hearty laughter.
Another duty with which she charged
was 10 prevent the young children of the
family, of which she looked on herself ss Q
member, going near the FIRE in their mothers
absence. She was a sweet-tempered creature,
but as soon as a child she was left 10 watch
near the fire. she become q vixen. She sent
also with children living on the quay, 20 see
that they kept from the waters edge. No child
confded TO her guardianship ever came TO
harm. When / read, as | often do of infants
being badly burned or burned 20 death, Y think
il pity that the breed Of Corah was not care
fully perpetusted. The master, in memory OF
her, called a charming little pup after her.
Corah was what is rare in dogs, very discreet.
She was always asking leave with her eves) TO
do such things as, when NJ Renan was suffering
from illness, jumping into his bed and crouch
ing down at his back TO warm IL. She was won't
to sit for hours motionless q chair looking at
him, waiting for him TO tel her TO jump into
the bed.
NJ Renan found his cat friends less intelli-
gent than his dog ones. But Whist lessons the
former gave in personal department. They
we're often afectionate, but neser gushing nor
familiar. The cat hates gush or familiarity. bus
the dog likes IL, and is, when allowed, bolster
ously afectionate toward his master; but Tom
or Tabby takes no liberties and permits none 90
| be taken. NJ. Renan had sometimes taken In
stray cats 20 rid himself Of rats. He never
knew one that did not behave well or that had
not distinct personality. They reasoned on
some facts that were forced on their attention
| For instance an ownerless Tom. who Was at
tracted by a rat invasion 20 the fat Of NJ.
Renan, would, when used roughly, come 20 the
parlor to complain.
VI. and Nine Renan. who had ready symr athy
with animals quite understood from the tone 81
Toms mewing that he had . grievance 20 air.
IL they called the servant TO inquire what IL
was the cat at once showed itself satisfied. and
rubbed itself against one or the other, or both,
and purred hard IL could. NJ. Renan has
high opinion of birds, and likes parrots. He
bequeathed Coco, the paroquet of Mile.
Desclee, the actress. IL was q bird with an
tonishingly fine ear. Nine yiardot used 20 sing
scales to Coco, and he would repeat them just
as they issued from her mouth