“They soon gained the utmost verge of the forest, and entered the country inhabited by men without vice; and Asem anticipated in idea the rational delight he hoped to experience in such an innocent society. But they had scarcely left the confines of the wood, when they beheld one of the inhabitants flying with hasty steps, and terror in his countenance, from an army of squirrels that closely pursued him. ‘Heavens!’ cried Asem, ‘why does he fly? What can he fear from animals so contemptible?’ He had scarcely spoken, when he perceived two dogs pursuing another of the human species, who, with equal terror and haste, attempted to avoid them. ‘This,’ cried Asem to his guide, ‘is truly surprising; nor can I conceive the reason for so strange an action.’—‘Every species of animals,’ replied the Genius, ‘has of late grown very powerful in this country; for the inhabitants, at first, thinking it unjust to use either fraud or force in destroying them, they have insensibly increased, and now frequently ravage their harmless frontiers.’ ‘But they should have been destroyed!’ cried Asem: ‘you see the consequence of such neglect.’—‘Where is then that tenderness you so lately expressed for subordinate animals?’ replied the Genius, smiling; ‘you seem to have forgot that branch of justice.’ ‘I must acknowledge my mistake,’ returned Asem. ‘I am now convinced that we must be guilty of tyranny and injustice to the brute creation, if we would enjoy the world ourselves. But let us no longer observe the duty of man to these irrational creatures, but survey their connexions with one another.’