In the animal world, we seek in vain for the type of either class. The analogies of wolf and lamb, hawk and pigeon, cat and mouse, cannot be employed with any degree of appropriateness--not one of them. In all these creatures there are traits either of nobility or beauty. Neither is to be found in the life and character of a Mormon--whether he be a sincere neophyte or a hypocritical apostle. Perhaps the nearest antagonistic forms of the animal world, by which we might typify the antithetic conditions of Mormon life, both social and religious, are those of fox and goose; though no doubt the subtle Reynard would scorn the comparison. Nor, indeed, is the fox a true type: for even about him there are redeeming qualities--something to relieve the soul from that loathing which it feels in contemplating the character of a "ruling elder" among the "Saints." It would be difficult to imagine anything further removed, from what we may term the "divinity of human nature," than one of these. Vulgar and brutal, cunning and cruel, are ordinary epithets; and altogether too weak to characterise such a creature. Some of the "twelves" and of the "seventies" may lack one or other of these characteristics. In most cases, however, you may safely bestow them all; and if it be the chief of the sect--the President himself--you may add such other _ugly_ appellatives as your fancy may suggest; and be sure that your portraiture will still fall short of the hideousness of the original. Perhaps the most striking characteristic of these fanatics is the absolute openness of their cheat. A more commonplace imposture has never been offered for acceptance, even to the most ignorant of mankind. It appeals neither to reason nor romance. The one is insulted by the very shallowness of its chicanery, while its rank _plebbishness_ disgusts the other. Even the nomenclature, both of its offices and office-bearers, has a vulgar ring that smacks of ignoble origin. The names "twelves," "seventies," "deacons," "wifedoms," "Smiths" (Hiram and Joseph), Pratt, Snow, Young, Cowdery, and the like--coupled as they are with an affectation and imitation of Scripture phraseology--form a vocabulary burlesquing even the Sacred Book itself, and suggesting by their sounds the true character of the Mormon Church--a very essence of plebeian hypocrisy.