Buffon's Natural History. Volume 05 (of 10): Containing a Theory of the Earth, a General History of Man, of the Brute Creation, and of Vegetables, Minerals, &c. &cBuffon, Georges Louis Leclerc, comte de
History
Buffon's Natural History. Volume 05 (of 10): Containing a Theory of the Earth, a General History of Man, of the Brute Creation, and of Vegetables, Minerals, &c. &c
Buffon, Georges Louis Leclerc, comte de
Natural history
Love, which in all animals is the most general and lively sensation,
seems to be the only one which gives any vivacity to the ram. When
he feels any such emotions, he becomes petulant, fights, and will
sometimes attack even his own shepherd. The ewe, however, even at those
times, does not appear more animated; and has only instinct sufficient
not to refuse the approaches of the male, to chuse her food and to
know her own lamb. Instinct is more certain as it is more mechanical.
The young lamb, among a numerous flock, will search and find out its
mother, and will seize its teat, without ever being mistaken. It is
also said, that sheep are sensible to the pleasures of musick; that
they brouze with more assiduity, are better in health, and fatten
sooner when they hear the shepherd's pipe; but it appears more probable
that music serves to amuse the shepherd, and that it is to this
solitary, idle life, that we owe the origin of the art.
These animals, whose understandings are so simple, are also of a
very weak constitution. They cannot walk long; travelling weakens
and exhausts them; and when they run, they pant and are soon out of
breath. The great heat of the sun, is as disagreeable to them, as too
much moisture, cold, or snow. They are subject to many disorders, the
greatest part of which are contagious. Superabundance of fat sometimes
kills them, and always prevents the ewes from having young. They suffer
a great deal in breeding, have frequent abortions and require more care
than any other domestic animal.[H]
[H] There appears in the text a degree of unusual asperity against this
harmless animal, and all its imperfections seem pictured in glaring
colours, but in this, as well as in several other particulars, some
exaggeration is adopted, since scarce any domestic animal, at the
time of bringing forth, requires less assistance than the ewe does in
general.
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