The menageries : quadrupeds, described and drawn from living subjects.

Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The menageries : quadrupeds, described and drawn from living subjects. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    48/412 (page 38)
    quadrupeds who resist his power, till they find their resistance unavailing. If he recede, the lion and the elephant return to their ancient domain. Whatever man holds in this world must be held by an unceas- ing exercise of his energy. If he neglect to maintain his ground by the same activity of intellect by which he has acquired it, an enemy starts up on every side. Even the commonest processes of nature require to be watched. They are either allies or foes. The sun, and the rain, and the dew, and the wind, are as much annoyances as assistants, unless they co- operate with an intelligence which directs them to good. If the lion break not into his fold, and the elephant tread not down his plantations, the minutest insects are at hand to injure his flocks and destroy his harvests, when the universal conqueror indolently ceases to defend his empire. The elephant is, beyond comparison with others, the largest of all land animals. An old anatomist has properly described him as “ animal vastissimum;” —and we may admit this description without adopt- ing the exa<2.'irerated accounts of his height which have been so commonly circulated. Mr. Corse, who, perhaps, saw more Indian elephants than any other European, never heard of more than one elephant whose height much exceeded ten feet. This was a male belonging: to the late Vizier of Oude. His dimensions, as accurately measured, were as follow:— ft. in. From foot to foot, over the shoulder ..... 22 . 10^ From the top of the shoulder, perpendicular height .10.6 From the top of the head, when set up . . . . 12 . 2 From the front of the face to the insertion of the tail 15 . 11 The East India Company’s standard, for service- able elephants, is seven feet and upwards, measured at the shoulder, in the same manner that horses are measured. At the middle of the back, which is curved, they are several inches higher, The height